Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 4:30 pm Post subject: Ancestry
i did a search on the 1891 census this morning fine
Came to look this afternoon and they've either changed the form or I'm on a different page. Harder to search. :smt010
Only asks for birth date - then I think adds/subtracts 5 - I often only want to add/subtract 1!! :smt010
Is it me or has it all changed for the worse?
Even better
I put in surname Dovey, no first name
Birth place Wolverhampton
Census place Wolverhampton
It doesn't even list them in alphabetical order - first 2 not even born Wolverhampton
You can also put any birth/census place in the World....for the 1891 UK census!
Puts me off Ancetstry and I really wouldn't bother registering again
_________________ Mad on Genealogy or just plain mad? :)
They have changed the input form; there is a slightly different one if you go to the bottom of the page and select the individual census. But I agree there's something not right with the search results - I often get "nothing found", then if I widen the search a bit they are there clear as day.
One thing I do find irritating is I have not yet worked out how (if at all) you can enter the census reference like you used to (eg RG09 Piece 2760 etc) which was very useful if Ancestry had screwed up their index and I had found the answer on Findmypast. I try to put corrections in to Ancestry when I can (though usually Steve Baxter has beaten me to it )
I have found it increasingly difficult to use and have not renewed my subscription to it. When I finally get 5 minutes to myself I will be subscribing to Find my Past.
_________________ Middle-aged and seeking the middle-ages!
They have changed the method of searching on the 'home' page but if you go to the 'search' page, on the right hand side (in small letters) is a link to 'old' search and you can revert to the old method of inputting your search data - is that as clear as mud? I agree it's frustrating when you ask for a search in Lancashire and it comes up with everything but
_________________ I may be a shrimp but I'm BIG on family history
But the old search doesn't seem to be working.
I just tried searching on the 1891 census and it says there are none.
I took all the info out and just out surname Jones
So it is broken
I too thought about Find My Past but plan to make sure it has the census now. I know it didn't have it all. what is drawing me in though is that the 1911 census will be available for members.
Has anyone any idea when?
_________________ Mad on Genealogy or just plain mad? :)
I too thought about Find My Past but plan to make sure it has the census now. I know it didn't have it all. what is drawing me in though is that the 1911 census will be available for members.
Has anyone any idea when?
I think it is something like 6 months after the release of the final counties, which I believe has recently happened. I do recall seeing a note that they were in process of devising "all-in" subscription packages to include 1911, so don't expect to get it at current rates
BrianG
Ancestry searches
On the census year you are searching you need to select the "show advanced search option" this will then open a larger search box with the sections for entering census piece, folio and page references at the bottom.
Unchecking the exact matches button at the top gives you a much wider range of likely matches - although not necessarily the ones you want as there are still a lot of transcription/enumerator errors for both names and places. Opening the actual image will give you a better idea if its the person/s you are looking for.
Yes - it's a miracle! Somehow I am now automatically accessing the search page as it always was, without having to search for it, as it were
I'll stay with Ancestry anyway. It still has the best overall coverage of all the providers. Findmypast is catching up on census data, but I will probably boycott them for a year or so until I have recovered my 1911 outlay. One to watch out for is The Genealogist. Census coverage is good, they now also have a lot of non-conformist stuff (like the Ormskirk Wesleyan baptisms in RG4) I have all three at the moment but will have to drop at least one next time round
They have also changed the design of the Trees. One minute I was on the old way then it swapped over to the new look. Not sure whether I like it.
It says it will be quicker but I have taken longer to input some details and then it wouldn't let me put a child in, kept coming up with 'error occurred'
I often wonder who does the transcribing. I know when the 1901 census was first available a lot had been done abroad. Now if English isn't your first language.........................
_________________ Mad on Genealogy or just plain mad? :)
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Normal service is resumed...thanks Seacop
