Massive Tree

[OurReg]

I agree that there should be a warning on Ancestry about checking sources on public trees.

I looked at one that was high on the list and supposedly a near match.  I couldn't quite believe what my eyes were showing me as the tree not only had numerous children for one couple, which were actually from different families who happened to have parents with the same common forenames, but there were also children listed at the top who were actually older than their supposed parents.   It was so glaringly obvious, but not to the tree owner.

There was another close match who had obviously just copied it and added all of this mishmash to their tree. 

The top tree in question also had many thousands within it.  I think some people go about it like they would social media and by adding 'ancestors', it is akin to adding 'followers' or 'likes'. 

I keep my tree private because I feel that I need to verify everything before I publish it as 'fact'.

[pinefamily]

So is the tree that Warncoort found the largest anyone has found on Ancestry?
Instead of an Easter egg hunt, let's find the largest tree in the Public Trees. 

[OurReg]

Can't beat Warncoort's find (yet).  The tree I was looking at had almost 33,000, experience level 'Advanced' and offering to help others. 

I haven't checked the figures on the copier or copied one yet.

Wonder if these people think that the heir hunters may find them if they link enough 'relatives'!

[Neil Todd]

I have a thoroughly researched tree that is public and it has been copied over three hundred times with all the mistakes in it. This tree has all my research good and bad with over 3500 deceased individuals in it. So there is an awful lot of junk floating around out there for those who want to just add numbers, not ancestors.

Oh yes I have my private tree with no mistakes and it has never been copied and sorry to say it only has around 800 deceased persons on it all ancestors paternal and maternal. It is only accurate to around 1560's. As far as I know you ancestors are the one's who begat the next generation and so on down to you. Not their siblings or cousins of siblings? If you include everyone from all generation we are all related to one another, nice to meet you.

Neil

[pharmaT]

I keep my tree private because as far as I am concerned my research is incomplete and always will be.

I include the siblings at each generation because I feel it gives a better picture of my direct ancestors' lives.  I think the number of children they had or the number of siblings they have is part of that.

[Beeonthebay]

When I first started out I only used to do the most direct lines with brothers and sisters if possible as then it was a case of trawling through microfilms and so time was much more precious with next to nothing online and visiting the LDS church and the State library in Sydney for many Saturday's trawling through the BMD microfiche.

Now I have Ancestry and do find such a lot of information on others such as cousins of my ancestors and even in laws (all treated with extreme caution!!).  What has astonished me is just how many of them intermarry!!  It's funny how the same surnames crop up over and over again.  I spoke to my mum about this and she rightly reminded me the world was a much smaller place back then and they married (mainly) people they knew of.

I hasten to add it wasn't brothers and sisters marrying  but 2nd and 3rd cousins and some I don't even see the connection yet but it's surely there, it can be quite a challenge which is all part of the fun!!

[Lisajb]

A lot of the Public Trees on Ancestry are good for entertainment value if nothing else.

After all, it's on the Internet, it's very clearly labelled, and it's on Ancestry,
... "and what I tell you three times is true" ^*

regards,
Bob

^* From "The Hunting of the Snark", Lewis Caroll

"I know its true because I made it up myself"
Sue Grafton - author of the Kinsey Millhone Alphabet series of books

[venelow]

After trying to engage with a couple of tree owners to no avail, I now find a good tip is to check the number of people in a tree before pressing the contact button.

I found one today that has hi-jacked my 3 X Great Grandparents into a completely different family. The tree has nearly 300,000 souls so I won't waste my time.

Has anyone noticed how a great number of these sorts of mega-trees have owners that claim they have a degree and can help people?

Venelow