Incorrect Census transcriptions on Ancestry

[Guy Etchells]

Interesting point Redfox but surely a transcription or index is only wrong if it is different from the document transcribed?
If the original document has the name wrongly recorded and transcript or index should also contain that "error".
Cheers
Guy

[Paul E]

I think you're right to distinguish between mistranscription and misindexing, Guy.
My suspicion, though, is that certain sites have a higher proportion of misindexing than mistranscription!

[stonechat]

Actually that where the correcton feature comes in useful

I have a Booth family.
In 1841 , they were enumerated as Both
The transcription also says Both
So I put on a correction saying incorrect original, so anyone looking for them will find them.

Same applies to visiting family members , who sometimes seem to be given the host families' surname

Bob

[candyflossyum]

i have found 2 mistakes today while looking for my whitmores and sains.
obviously mrs sophia whitmore didnt like that name as on the historical document part she is down as sophia whitmorephia but on the actual census she is whitmore??
while looking for sains i have a daughter called raphael when it clearly says rachel.i know im blonde and dim but phew thats just plain daft isnt it!!

do you need to have evidence of errors or can you just let ancestry know without evidence?

[kerryb]

Hi candyflossyum

I just let them know, I like to think the more transcription error notices they get the more they will realise their system doesn't work that well!!!

I'm not a realist!!!

Kerry

[Ecneps]

I agree, just let them know.  I just saw a correction where the submitter had just put 'obvious' as a reason and that obviously got through ok 
I often put 'family research' or 'see later census', and the alternatives are shown a little while later, so proof not needed.

Barbara

[kerryb]

One example I had was my Traies family who have been transcribed as Fraise and Praies and I just put something like please compare capital T of Traies with capital T of Turner or another T that might appear on the same page.

Obvious is a quicker way of saying it!!!!!!!

Kerry

[Alectrea]

I couldn't find my Udy ancestors in 1841 Census on Ancestry, but found them in British Origins, in Wales. So obviously the Ancestry Records are not complete.

[Ecneps]

Hi Alectrea

Welcome to Rootschat 

At the beginning of each census section on Ancestry there's a list of missing bits - don't think they claim to have it all.  Might just have been indexed under something else - if you read these postings below you'll see what I mean.  It's a good idea to search under just forename & birthplace, or just surname etc etc, too much info doesn't always work too well.

Is there anything we can help you with?
Barbara