Findmypast transcription errors

[christine.b]

Firstly, I want to stress how grateful I am personally for all the work the transcribers carry out on this site.  If it weren't for their efforts many of my ancestors would still be 'missing'.

Secondly, however, I would like to make family history researchers aware that I have found (and requested correction of) quite a few transcription errors.

So if you really can't find someone you know should appear on the site, do try and find other ways around the problem - bearing in mind that checking the name variants option doesn't always work.  For example, I just couldn't locate the Armitages I was pretty sure would have appeared on the 1851 census, so I tried rearranging the name and found them all under Arimatige!

[keyboard86]

Hi know exactly what you mean, in fact the good thing about FindMyPast is that eg you can/I would have tried Ar* if I could not readily locate, or even A*
Try that on Anc*****!
Keyboard86

[christine.b]

Thank you, Keyboard86.  I tried your suggestion and it worked.  Ironically, I do exactly this for google searches, but I had mistakenly thought (originally) that just checking the variant option would throw up all kinds of alternatives - how wrong I was.  So I now know for future reference.  Perhaps FindMyPast could incorporate your advice within the hover text??

Christine

[keyboard86]

Hi so glad I was able to assist,  as far as the "Variant" tick box is concerned,  I have found ( could be wrong)  it is more Soundex based?!
Keyboard86

[venelow]

Christine

My experience of FindMyPast is similar to yours. I also acknowledge the fantastic work that transcribers do
(I have also been a transcriber so I know how difficult the job is). That said, some of the transcriptions seem to have been made by people who do not have a lot of genealogical experience especially of the time frame beyond the 19th century. It also seems that the transcriptions were not double checked.

I am finding numerous errors in the FindMyPast transcriptions not just with the names but with dates, places and even genders.  Sometimes the Record Set is wrongly named and belongs to a Parish other than the one stated. Most of the time I use FindMyPast I find myself sending in corrections that are really quite basic and in a higher proportion of cases than I find with other transcriptions such as those done by family history societies.

It is important that the transcription is checked against the image, if there is one provided, and if there is not, the researcher should seek out an image of the document at the relative Record Office, Archives or LDS Family History Centre or where ever the original document is kept. I know this is basic but cannot be stated too often because these errors end up on Internet trees and then get copied into lots of other trees.

It is wonderful to have access to the amount of information on FindMyPast and other sites both subscription and free but do not assume the information has been double or triple checked. Also consider the source of the information. Each person in your family tree is not nailed down until you have looked at the original records.

Venelow

[JenB]

  For example, I just couldn't locate the Armitages I was pretty sure would have appeared on the 1851 census, so I tried rearranging the name and found them all under Arimatige!

I hope you don't mind - I'm a transcriber as well. I took a look and I'm pretty sure that the original says Arimatige, so in this case it's not a transcription error

[Chilternbirder]

Wrong end of the weekend to say this, but if you have been using Findmypast on a PAYG basis then this free weekend has been the time to look up the images that go with the transcriptions.

[Mike in Cumbria]

I hope you don't mind - I'm a transcriber as well. I took a look and I'm pretty sure that the original says Arimatige, so in this case it's not a transcription error

Yes - no error there at all.

[christine.b]

Just for the record, there are two issues here:

(i) there are a lot of transcription errors on Findmypast but, as I said, I'm very grateful to the transcribers; and

(ii) I wasn't suggesting that Arimatige was a transcription error - just that a researcher needs to be a little 'clever' if they can't find a name.  I used this as an example of how rearranging the letters can throw up an entirely different result (and also using Keyboard86's suggestion above).

Christine