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Beginners => Family History Beginners Board => Topic started by: haddockinthekitchen on Saturday 12 November 16 16:09 GMT (UK)
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Hi - I have stumbled into the realms of the IGI/ Family Search and am reading around it, as I am very new to it.
I have a few queries - can anyone help?
I notice that each person on Family Search has a unique reference number next to their name.
I also notice that when sources are cited, there is a series of references which is sometime prefixed by "ark" that appear at the end of the source citation.
Are any of these numbers related to batch or film numbers that you can input when doing a search on the IGI database? If not, how does one know what these batch / film numbers are>
Finally, does anyone have any tips or guidance on how to use the IGI, and/ or have any opinions about it?
The Wiki on it says to always check the original source, but to a newbie like me, it's a bit of a chicken and egg situation - I am working off information given to me by a third party and trying to check it out as I go, and I am in the early 1500's now.
If any of this makes sense, I would appreciate any pointers at all on using this search facility .
Thanks in advance.
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Can you give us an example of what you found so that we can try to explain it to you.
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I will - I will look up one example and paste it here shortly.
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Wiki is right about always checking the original source.
The IGI a few years ago consisted of extracted records from parish registers and Bishops transcripts, a lot of these have now been removed and the site appears to have been merged with their patron submitted family trees. These trees were always to be treated with caution as they contained lots of 'about' dates and were mainly done for the purpose of baptising their dead relatives.
Personally I would treat them with caution and would be looking at the original records or online copies of them (not transcripts)
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I too feel a bit sceptical about them, which is why I was asking the questions.
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This link might help:
https://familysearch.org/search/collection/igi?collectionNameFilter=true
Make sure that you tick on the Community Indexed IGI (Vital and church records from the early 1500s to 1885) only and you will be able to search on the old IGI which Rosie refers to.
The IGI a few years ago consisted of extracted records from parish registers and Bishops transcripts, a lot of these have now been removed and the site appears to have been merged with their patron submitted family trees. These trees were always to be treated with caution as they contained lots of 'about' dates and were mainly done for the purpose of baptising their dead relatives.
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Thanks - So what is the difference between the community and indexed collections?
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Thanks - So what is the difference between the community and indexed collections?
International Genealogical Index (IGI)
The International Genealogical Index was a family history database that listed several hundred million names of deceased persons from throughout the world.
Names in the IGI came from two sources.
Community Contributed IGI (Personal family information submitted to the LDS Church)
Community Indexed IGI (Vital and church records from the early 1500s to 1885)
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See https://familysearch.org/wiki/en/International_Genealogical_Index
Stan
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@Stan - thanks for that - I have read through this already, and am mulling on it as to how it works.
More reading needed I think.
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Gadget suggested that you only tick the box against
Community Indexed IGI (Vital and church records from the early 1500s to 1885)
These are the records that were extracted from church registers. However they are far from complete, a few parishes only record for example baptisms of females and not the males. I have also found a couple of examples where information has been extracted from a film that contains records for several parishes and the records have been attributed to the wrong parish.
The other category as you can see from its title Community Contributed IGI (Personal family information submitted to the LDS Church) are the trees done by church members for the purpose of baptising their 'deceased' relatives .
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A bit more about it. I've jsut found that the Hugh Wallis site on batch numbers is still online:
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~hughwallis/IGIBatchNumbers.htm
Gadget
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@Gadget - I have also found some pages on the batching and indexing too....
@Rosie - Yes, I have managed to work that out - the individual entries were separated out a while ago (according to the WIKI on it) which would indicate that they too (LDS) that family entered info could be liable to error, which I guess overall is a good thing.
The "indexers" who put the "other" info on I am (again from the info on the LDS site) are more akin to our "Online Parish Clerks"?.
I notice LDS asks for volunteers to help with the indexing - they are currently asking for helpers who have a second language to help with non English records......
My gut feeling is to look at the indexers inputs as a guideline, and of course the search facility allows you to do that which is great.
I imagine that seeing "originals" of all of this is next to impossible, but you never know....
I think I am at a point where "research around the topic" has become very important now - as important as finding the relatives I am seeking.....and as they say, never underestimate the power of a good bit of research!
All this input has been of great help, and is setting me on to the right path - I am resigned to it taking longer, but that's half the fun I think.
As ever, Merci Mille Fois to everyone who has answered this thread!
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Also!
From my reading, I am going through the info provided by the OPCs for Cornwall (currently Bodmin) and they have been kind enough to give the LDS batch numbers for searches for certain dates!
Devon is (seemingly) not as complete a project as Cornwall's....but again details as to what is in, and what is out, along with "gaps" due to the bombing of Exeter and the loss of records therein.
Once this is all sifted through I am going to get a far clearer picture of what there is, and where to look for it.
Now, if only some of my relatives had not been so inconsiderate....being born in Cornwall, meeting a Devonshire lady and then marrying or dying in their neighbouring Devon - tut tut!
Sadly, I think the mainstream sites (I am using Ancestry) give the impression (as does Who do you think you are?) that you can tap in a name, and everything you ever wanted to know about one of your relatives from the 1500's will appear before your very eyes!
If only life we like that!
Happy hunting people!
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I imagine that seeing "originals" of all of this is next to impossible, but you never know....
The LDS has some family history centres scattered across the world where you can hire in films of parish registers for a fee. They are however trying to put these films online. I was lucky as I had one of these centres within a reasonable distance from me and used to visit it weekly so was able to do most of my research from 'original' registers and not transcripts.
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I think FindMyPast has better coverage than Ancestry for Devon and Cornwall records. I found my ancestral in-laws using that route :)
Gadget
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I imagine that seeing "originals" of all of this is next to impossible, but you never know....
The LDS has some family history centres scattered across the world where you can hire in films of parish registers for a fee. They are however trying to put these films online. I was lucky as I had one of these centres within a reasonable distance from me and used to visit it weekly so was able to do most of my research from 'original' registers and not transcripts.
Funny you should mention that.....I live in France, and there are two within driving distance to me.
Now, I am not sure if they will offer "English only" films, but I intend to go to one of them and ask......what a great facility.
On that note....I get SO MANY "TEXT ONLY" hits on Ancestry....they are referenced, and try as I might, I can never seem to "find" the original "text" in their collections - I seem to end up with the same info, and not the original....does "Text Only" mean that it can only be viewed on film at the source? Or am I missing a vital piece of info here...I was staggered to see how many are in fact not "original" but these text only entries????
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I think FindMyPast has better coverage than Ancestry for Devon and Cornwall records. I found my ancestral in-laws using that route :)
Gadget
Yes, I agree with that, and I am finding the same....having read some OPC stuff for both counties, Find my Past seems to crop up as does Family Search, but not Ancestry.....
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You will find 'text only' (Transcriptions) on both Ancestry & FindMyPast which are just copied over from familysearch/IGI and show the LDS film number.
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I'm sure the ones that I looked at were images of originals - I don't usually settle for transcriptions - although Ireland is proving a bit tricky - not all images are available via the irishgenealogy sites,
Added - yep - just checked and Devon images are on FindMyPast.
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You will find 'text only' (Transcriptions) on both Ancestry & FindMyPast which are just copied over from familysearch/IGI and show the LDS film number.
Indeed they do....and I am guessing the LDS film is what can be seen at these family history centres?????If so then BINGO! I can view them as and when I visit....is this correct ? From what is being said, that would be my understanding?
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I'm sure the ones that I looked at were images of originals - I don't usually settle for transcriptions - although Ireland is proving a bit tricky - not all images are available via the irishgenealogy sites,
Added - yep - just checked and Devon images are on FindMyPast.
This is good news indeed....I started my search via Ancestry in August, and thanks to so many kind people, I have found a very rich family history, that promises to be even richer.......provided I can see those originals......I know of the Irish problem, as my friend is searching his Irish ancestors - to date, not a single Irish person in my tree....but forewarned is forearmed......now back to Devon and Cornwall and those wretched reference numbers!
This info has been one of the biggest breakthroughs of all - my reading around the subject had taken me some of the way, but this info (from Rootschat) has been invaluable!
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You will need to order in films to the family history centre, I believe that this is now done online
https://familysearch.org/catalog/search
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You will need to order in films to the family history centre, I believe that this is now done online
https://familysearch.org/catalog/search
This just gets better and better! I am a French speaker, so a phone call is not a problem, so I can order in advance of going - thanks so much for all this valuable info!
I have been saving links etc online, but now have a "book" to scribe in all my additional info (numbers etc. )
I have only been to one History Centre (Swindon) and I was overwhelmed at the help I got, plus the services available to me....I was asked to say that I had no pens on me, and when I asked why, they told me that I would be viewing ORIGINAL documents!
Imagine my seeing the entry for my grandmother in the workhouse births register....it was a special moment, as I learned who her mother was, and that she in fact had five siblings.....details all provided by the books at the centre.
It's quite amazing the amount of info that is being recorded for us all to use and enjoy.
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The LDS will just be films/fiche but still much better seeing the written records. ;D
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The LDS will just be films/fiche but still much better seeing the written records. ;D
Yes of course it will but still wonderful to know that on fiche/ film it has been preserved for many years to come....just to see the original writing is a great honour I feel......
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I have used the Batch and Film numbers on Family Search quite successfully, especially if I know an area I'm interested in together with just a surname. In this way I've found whole groups of families from which I can then search on the other sites to view the actual image.
Here's a link which helps as it lists the batch numbers by geography:
http://www.archersoftware.co.uk/igi/fs-eng.htm
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I have used the Batch and Film numbers on Family Search quite successfully, especially if I know an area I'm interested in together with just a surname. In this way I've found whole groups of families from which I can then search on the other sites to view the actual image.
Here's a link which helps as it lists the batch numbers by geography:
http://www.archersoftware.co.uk/igi/fs-eng.htm
Thanks - I have noted down the batch numbers I wanted to view, so I can cross reference them to this list as well now - much appreciated!
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I imagine that seeing "originals" of all of this is next to impossible, but you never know....
The LDS has some family history centres scattered across the world where you can hire in films of parish registers for a fee. They are however trying to put these films online. I was lucky as I had one of these centres within a reasonable distance from me and used to visit it weekly so was able to do most of my research from 'original' registers and not transcripts.
That depends on what film you accessed, some people do not realise that many LDS microfilms are of Bishop's Transcripts rather than the original parish registers.
Though in other cases they were given access to film the parish register.
It is best to always check to see whether it is BTs or PRs.
Cheers
Guy