Tracing Genealogy outside of America?

Brian Marquina: Since you didn't specify a country of origin all I can suggest is Cyndi's list which has great links for many countries http://www.cyndislist.com/ and the LDS/Mormon site which also has international records http://www.familysearch.org/eng/search/WebSites/fr...If you could be more specific in your question, someone could probably give you much better answers...like what country or countries you are interested in and when did the immigrate to the US.Also, there is no such thing as a family crest, read the following Coats of ArmsExcept for a few cases, there is really no such thing as a catch-all "coat of arms" for a surname. BUT, you will find literally hundreds of web sites on the Internet that will tell you otherwise. In actuality, "coats of arms" are usually granted only to a single person ... and NOT to an entire family or to a particular surname. Coats of arms are inheritable property, and they generally descend to male lineal descendents of the origi! nal arms grantee. So, you will know if you inherited a "coat of arms" ... because if you did, you'll already have it! The caveat to this paragraph is that "rules" and traditions regarding Coats of Arms vary from country to country. So, be certain to research the heraldry traditions of your ancestor's home country.There are many links to articles about Coats of Arms and heraldry, at Kimberly Powell's About.com genealogy site.A newsgroup devoted to heraldry has posted some very good explanations regarding a coat of arms and family crests. It explains what they can mean, and it even discusses software available for heraldic studies.Legitimate ArmsIf you'd like to read more about true coats of arms then these websites are good places to start:• The Baronage Press• American College Of Heraldry• Institute of Heraldic and Genealogical StudiesArms for Entertainment or DecorationIf, for the sole purpose of fun and entertainment, you still want to see some coats of arms associa! ted (loosely) with your surname, then you can read through the! below linked websites. Some of them have free "coats of arms" images. Bear in mind, though, that for most all of us, viewing these coats of arms, or buying mugs, t-shirts or plaques bearing these images is really just for fun or decoration.• Free Coat of Arms• Free Coat of Arms Search (Extensive Site!)• Coats of Arms Designs of Wonder• Coats of Arms on the Internet• Fleur-de-Lis Designshttp://www.progenealogists.com/coatofarms.htmlThe family crest is typically a figure and generally a beast of some kind. It can be found "atop the helmet placed above the shield." Traditionally the crest has been used primarily by men. However, some queens of England of Britain have been treated with crests. In the early history of the family crest, its issuance was usually confined to people of rank, but later the crest was included in nearly every grant of arms....Show more