my ancestry searches results are poo! Is it me or my settings?

['yr un drewllyd']

How hard can it be?

Last month I could search away on ancestry, but now

I type in a christian name,  surname, birth year give or take 2 and presto ............................ only results from the English census not the Welsh. So I go to the Wales 1881 census punch in the details, John Williams, 1839, wales, glamorgan, merthyr tydfil, male, and presto up come the reults with 1 or 2 stars first, the first names begining with A.

What am I doing wrong,?

A very frusted Drewllyd!

A very frustrated

[Necromancer]

If you want the flexibility of both E & W census being initially scanned, you have to use the main page - then when you get a list of Census years, depending on how you structured the original search (specific or not to a county in E or W) you can chose England or Wales - an individual Census Year is EITHER England OR Wales

[Arranroots]

In addition, try checking the box marked "exact searches only" - then you don;t have to fiddle around with all that stars business!

kind regards, Arranroots 

[01debbie]

Hi Drewllyd,

I just did the same search from Wales 1881 option & got the same result as you.  However, when I did an exact search with +/- 2 yrs on his birth date...up he popped & one other.

Hope that helps,

Debbie  

[Necromancer]

do people actually use the non-exact search ?

['yr un drewllyd']

Yes ................................... walks of sheepishly!


feeling very silly



thanks for the tips

[Arranroots]

do people actually use the non-exact search ?

Newfy!!

Chris, most of us are friendly!!

 

[Necromancer]

merely surprised, I tried it once ages back and it just didnt work for me - now I see that it gives the sort of results mentioned above (or below depending on how you have your threads presented .,..)
I'm vindicated - LOL

Chris, no offence  - the best way to learn is to experiment, make a few mistakes, see what others do etc 

Cant speak for ArranRoots mind you !
 

['yr un drewllyd']

No offence taken, ask an obvious question ............................... get a straight answer

Just played with it and found him in  1871 and 1881.

you're all lovely .................................... I think