Incorrect Census transcriptions on Ancestry

[ibi]

Not strictly relevant to this thread, but my all-time favourite mis-transcription from the 1881 census is the Head of Household shown as having the given name of "Head" when his given name is known to have been different ...................

ibi

[imison]

HO,HO,HO!


But on a serious note, if we could COLLATE all these we could have the basis of a DATABASE, so let's keep recording and posting ALL such duff leads, so that we can act as a corrective balance to the records.

I think there is definitely a problem with the visibility and legibility of some of the records which makes them difficult to transcribe.

Add to that the cultural difficulties of taking oneself out of the 21st GLOBAL VILLAGE whereby we can talk and mix freely with over 6 billion people, that is possibly why SOM is seen to be SOMALIA rather than Somerset.

I think it might be useful to check the names of the counties with names of COUNTRIES so that we can give ALTERNATIVE suggestions.

I don't blame the transcribers as they are just making educated guesses - whilst Ancestry might one day make a different transcription, meanwhile we have to try and make sense of the massive database they currently have.

We can - and probably do - email Ancestry to let them know of the mistakes and give chapter and verse.

I am grateful to them because without them I would not have had access to the original transcripts.

It is just that WE could help them by providing a meaningful KEY to mistranscriptions.

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE

IMISON

[MaryA]

I think there is a need to be aware of the change in country names - Ceylon has been transcribed as Sri Lanka, so a search for both should be made.

I agree this thread could prove to be extremely useful.  Unfortunately there are still a number of messages which make oblique references to other postings which can't be found.  Could any poster referring to another thread, please paste the link to that thread in their message so that these can also be used for reference.

Lets make this thread truly useful by collecting this information into one place, as was the intention.

Mary

[louisa maud]

What amazes me is that when eventually found often the names are exactly what they are supposed to be, in my instance Rebecca is clearly written on the 1861 census but has been transcribed as Richard, looks nothing like Richard to me, plus it is shown as "wife", how many Richards do you know who is a "wife", beats me.

I often just put in a Christine name, year of birth plus or minus a year or so and place of birth and 9 times out of 10 they are found.

Happy new year to everyone and happy hunting

LM

[tazzie]

The worst mistakes seem to be the most simple.....

  Could not find grt grt grt grandmother in 1851 under either married name..
  Should have been Martha -transcibed Marth that threw everything out- daughter should be Martha Cooper -transcribed Martha Cosper, all fully readable.So far 36 mis transcribed rellies and I onlny joined on Boxing Day.
  This could take a while!

                  Tazzie

[Koromo]

I often just put in a Christine name, year of birth plus or minus a year or so and place of birth and 9 times out of 10 they are found.

Ah, but it's the tenth one that is so frustrating.

I'd been looking for ages for a Ggg-Aunt, Elizabeth M Thomas, born Samoa (British Subject).  I'd even tried putting in just BS/Br/Brit/Sub/Subj in the keyword box, with nothing else entered at all.

I found her today. Elizabeth McHomes, born Somerset.
The image clearly said Samoa, (British Subject).

Grrrrrr!

 
K.

[bwgan ceredig]

Koromo - at least you found her , still looking for my John Stiff in 51 - tried everything...including trawling through a lot of Johns only a couple of 100k to go...ho hum

[2zpool]

My bugaboo for the 1851 census is North'd [Northumberland] being transcribed as North Dakota. So there all these people born Newcastle North Dakota.  (North Dakota was not even a state in the United States in 1851.)

born in North Atlantic is also sometimes North Dakota too.

Janis

[dedted29]

I have also run into problems with my TRICKER surname.  I have found it as TUCKER/TRECKER/FRICKER, etc.  The most frustrating aspect is when you do find a mistake and submit a correction for one person in the household it doesn't apply to all members.  You have to go back and enter a correction for each member.  Sometimes it does feel as if Ancestry could care less about quality and service after all, while not the only game in town, they are the largest!