Best for “Continental” Researchers

Danish Demographic Database
Use the nearly 400,000 records in the emigration database, covering 1868 to 1908, to locate Denmark relatives. Then follow them in census records, containing nearly 13 million names as far back as 1769.

Digitalarkivet
Originally home to 1801, 1865, 1875 and 1900 Norwegian censuses, this national archives site is expanding to eventually encompass 1.85 million pages from nearly 11,000 parish records—the most important family research tools in Norway.

Federation of Eastern European Family History Societies
This home to resource guides, maps and databases was about to undergo a makeover at press time—making it an even better starting point for researching 14 Eastern and Central European nations and ethnicities.

Genlias
Going Dutch takes on a new meaning thanks to this enviable database of nearly 45 million names extracted from some 10.8 million civil register records. New here are statement of succession records (inheritance declarations used to calculate death duties) dating from 1808.

Genline $
If you’re willing to pay for the privilege—starting at about $23 for 20 days—say goodbye to scrolling microfilm in search of your Swedish ancestors. Genline delivers images of 16 million-plus pages of church records (virtually everything available) to your digital doorstep.

Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names Online
Stumped by European place names? This guide to more than 900,000 places in Europe and around the world covers current and historic geography.

Institute of Migration $
Find your Finns in this collection of emigrant databases including 318,000 passenger-list entries and 197,000 passport records. New additions cover Finnish emigrants through the port of Gothenburg, Sweden, and Finns to the Soviet Union in the 1920s and 1930s. Searching is free; full access costs about $23.50 a year.