Top 100 Genealogy Websites of 2015
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This article presents the top 100 genealogy websites from around the world. Since we began this survey four years ago, this list has now become the gold standard for the genealogy industry. It profiles and ranks the best ancestral websites based on their internet traffic (as measured by Alexa, the internet traffic people).
For 2015, we identify the most popular genealogy websites. A familiarity with the websites on this list will help you discover some new ways to find your ancestors. We also look at the overall genealogy industry and point out some interesting trends and discuss how it will impact your future research.
Genealogy by the Numbers
This year, we focussed on the following:
• Information and links to the Top 100 most popular genealogy websites from around the world.
• Pointers toward the most popular free genealogy websites (for those who prefer to go the free route).
• A list of rising genealogy stars that are worth checking out. These are websites that have seen the largest increase in popularity over the past year.
• A discussion on the big three firms in genealogy. Most people do not realize how many different websites they own.
• Estimates as to how much genealogy has grown over the past year.
• A focus on the new additions to the list this year. Find out who they are, what they do and how they can help your research.
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The Work Behind the Numbers
We have talked extensively in the past about the methodology employed in compiling the Top 100 List. For anyone who is interested, we refer you to the articles from the previous years (2014 2013 2012).
Two things that we would like to highlight this year:
• The popularity of a website is measured by Alexa along three dimensions: how many people visit a website, how much time is spent at the website and how much content is consumed. It is not based solely on how many people go to a particular website. The time spent on a website and the amount of content that is consumed are also important factors when ranking websites.
• The exact definition of a genealogy website is a surprisingly difficult question. We look at a variety of metrics. The key factor for us is that a website must be primarily oriented towards genealogy and genealogy research. Consequently, you won’t find many national archive websites on the list because these types of websites tend to attract a significant number of visitors unrelated to genealogy.
The Top 100 List
Below is the GenealogyInTime Magazine list of the top 100 genealogy websites of 2015.
