Beware Ancestry Web site unreliable

[glesgaguy2]

Just in case users are unaware, I have found that the Ancestry searches can be unreliable.

I was confused when searching for a Joseph Webb on the 1841 census when I couldn't find him, I knew he was on it as I found him on the Scotlandspeople site.

When I searched for the other names at the address I found that he had been listed as Joseph Streb.

I find this very sloppy on behalf of the Ancestry people, afterall they are charging for the information, the least they can do is make sure it's correct.

How many users hit "brick walls" just because the information is incorrect.

[wozzle]

unfortunately the scotland censuses on ancestry are riddled with mistakes
and as we cannot see the original images on ancestry we have no way of knowing what is right and what has been mistranscribed

[brushbroomstick]

One of my families had been included in the family of their neighbours making a total of about 24 people all with the same surname. No wonder I coudn't find them. I can't actually remember how I did find them but I put in an amendment to Ancestry

[Springbok]

Welcome to Rootschat Glesgaguy

You may not have used the Rootschat Search facility yet, but there have been many discussions over the years regarding Ancestry and its foibles.

Also some interesting insights from Gadget regarding transcribing.

The transcibers are not necessarily "Ancestry people" but ordinary folk who give their time,to helping us all, as on FreeBMD etc. and of course sometimes mistakes are made.

Spring

[glesgaguy2]

Welcome to Rootschat Glesgaguy

You may not have used the Rootschat Search facility yet, but there have been many discussions over the years regarding Ancestry and its foibles.

Also some interesting insights from Gadget regarding transcribing.

The transcibers are not necessarily "Ancestry people" but ordinary folk who give their time,to helping us all, as on FreeBMD etc. and of course sometimes mistakes are made.

Spring

No, I didn't think to do a search on this topic (I will do so now), also I didn't realise that documents were transcribed by "ordinary folk" so to an extent can be forgiven..

[Springbok]

Surely you can,gles,

 we know how frustrating it can be to search madly (and then a savvy RC member finds it for you!) and lets face it, some entries are just downright sloppy!

Anyway enjoy the hunt!

Spring

[Tati]

some entries are just downright sloppy!

Just an example ... the handwriting of Frank Francis, enumerator in Lincolnshire in 1901 

[Arranroots]

Say WHAT?!?

 

I once volunteered as a transcriber - took one look at the script and fled!!

 

[Springbok]

Yes , that's a big difficulty, but then you take into account the conditions they struggled under.

Perhaps the only person for that area who  was qualified, working by candle/gas  light, and having to guess how a name is spelled.

Then a transcriber comes along ..and attempts to make sense of the returns...

I cetainly wouldn't like the task of transcribing the BMD  records on Ancestry from the 16th Century on.

Must have been a thankless job, and probably still is.

Spring