Using Ancestry.com
This page is http://www.rootdig.com/usingancestry.htm
There
is the home edition of Ancestry.com and there is the Library edition. They are
organized slightly differently. The Library Edition has the “old search”
interface. The home edition has the “new and ‘improved’ search” interface. Today
we will use the “old” search as that is what you can use in the library. The “library
edition” does not have the scanned books that the “home edition” does.
It
is best (at least usually) to search a database specifically, although most
record types allow you to search the entire set of records (US Census records,
US Passenger lists, County and Local Histories, etc.). Passenger lists are one
database where it might be good to search more than one set of records,
particularly if you are uncertain of the port of arrival.
The links in this column are for the Library Edition (only accessible at the library and not at home):
Michael’s
Ancestry Quick Links for the Individual Subscription
Card Catalog Search Page (and clickable map)
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Southern Claims Commission Records
Quebec Vital and Church Records (the Droin Collection)
General
Suggestions:
Search Ancestry.com's card catalog for a
specific database—we will demonstrate
Consider searching specific databases
instead of the whole site.
Remember the scanned printed materials
Indexers make mistakes
Work from the present to the past
Remember Ancestry does not have
everything
Don't assume a database won't be helpful.
Main
databases we will look at:
Passenger lists
US and UK Census records
Passport Applications
State and Local Records
County and Local Histories
Online Submitted Trees
Get those spellings!
Write
down all the variant spellings for your last names on a sheet of paper. Think
about alternate forms for letters, how your ancestor likely pronounced his
name, and phonetic variations and interpretations.
Get
your soundex codes
Many
sites allow soundex searches. Do you know WHAT names you are going to get when
you perform a soundex search? Soundex searches do not
require you to know the code, but it helps if you do.
|
Variant |
Soundex |
Variant |
Soundex |
|
Trautvetter |
T631 |
Robidoux |
R132 |
|
Troutvetter |
T631 |
Robidou |
R130 |
|
Trautfetter |
T631 |
Rabedea |
R130 |
|
Troutfetter |
T631 |
|
|
|
Trantvetter |
T653 |
|
|
|
Variant |
Soundex |
|
Neil |
N400 |
|
Neill |
N400 |
|
Neal |
N400 |
|
O’Neil |
O540 |
|
McNeil |
M254 |
To
find sites that provide soundex codes, go to www.google.com
and search for “soundex converter”
Before searching any online
database:
· Detail the family structure
at the time of the event—everyone who would be mentioned in the record
· Determine exactly what names
were put in the index
· Compile list of spelling
variants for last names
· Determine nicknames and
diminutives for all family members at event or who should be in database
· If index is an every-name index, determine whose name is least likely to be spelled incorrectly
Determine Effective Wildcard Search Strategies
·
* denotes any number of characters in place of the asterisk or
percent
o traut* will search for trautvetter, trautfetter, trautfelter, etc.
o woo* will locate woowoo, woozy, wood, etc.
·
? or usually denotes just ONE character in place of the ? or _
o k?le will search for kile, kyle, kale, etc.
o tra?tvetter will search for trautvetter, trantvetter,
etc.
CANT USE THEM TIL YOU HAVE USED THREE CHARACTERS
Look
for the commonalities in your variants before performing wildcard searches. It
may be that one wildcard search cannot be created that will handle all your
variants at once.
Finding
Barbara Haase
·
born
Germany, ca. 1825
·
in
Hancock County, Illinois 1860-1900
·
husband
Conrad (born 1820s, children: Conrad, Herman, Anna, Lena)
I
generally only put in part of the first name, Bar* in this case. Haa*Ancestry.com
requires three characters before the wildcard is used. I would start with the most
recent and work my way back. Better to
enter in as little information as possible. Narrow the search if there are too
many results to wade through.
Michael
and Francis Trautvetter in 1880
·
Michael
born in the late 1830s Germany
·
Francis
born early 1850s Illinois
·
Not
found using a Soundex search on Trautvetter
Searched
for a person with name Mic* living with a spouse Fra* in Hancock County,
Illinois. Found them!
It
pays to think about the family structure—and sometimes to not enter in last
names—especially if the location is already known or at least partially known.
You
are better off NOT filling in all the blanks.