View Full Version : Using Family Search
Nothing to update BK6 with from this thread
I have used Family Search for about ten years, but don't feel I get the most out of the site since they changes the layout of it after they introduced that pilot version a year or two back.
I don't understand why, if I search for a marriage I only ever seem to get baptisms in the results.
I never see any census results anymore, though I noticed OH does when he searches!
I know some of you look at PR images on FS, but I have never come across where they are.
No sign of the US Social Security Death Indexes - are they still on the site?
I'm trying to remember what else used to be in the list of options in the dark panel that used to appear on the left of the search screen, but I can't remember.
I see there's the option to sign in, but I don't know what extra benefits there are in doing so.
Help please :)
Here's a link to the SSDI https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1202535
Here is a full list of their 1633 collections
https://familysearch.org/search/collection/list
You can select any one of those collections and it will search only in that database/collection.
Oh I search for marriages and get baptisms, tho I do get marriage results too!
Are you using the filters?
If, instead of saying you want a marriage, you scroll down, and then filter by marriage year or place you can refine your search and not get all the guff.
Not sure why you are not getting census results. Are you looking via favourites, rather than going via a search engine.
To browse images, you need to scroll down the records screen: https://familysearch.org/search click on the area you want and a screen like this comes up: https://familysearch.org/search/collection/list#page=1®ion=UNITED_KINGDOM_IRELAND
click on the collection you want, and then again browse if you want images rather than what has been indexed.
kiterunner
18-08-13, 15:17
If you don't want to see baptisms etc when you search for marriages, click on "Restrict records by: Type" and tick the "Marriages" box.
I don't know why you aren't getting census results for your searches - if you post up some examples, I'll look into it.
The list of collections for which Jay posted the link will show you which ones have images available - they will have a camera symbol on the left. Also if you just want a list of the UK databases use Browse by Location and select United Kingdom and Ireland:
https://familysearch.org/search/collection/list#page=1®ion=UNITED_KINGDOM_IRELAND
Sometimes the camera symbol means that the images are available on another site which you have to pay for, such as FMP.
Certain databases only let you view the images if you log in, but I don't think this applies to any of the UK ones at the moment - well, unless you are a member of the LDS Church. I have had to log in to view some of the US images though.
We did have Sharon Hintz explain exactly what signing in meant, and I'm blowed if I can remember. Kite is bound to know.
I think that it is really for Mormons themselves: they can put trees online and allow access just to whatever group of fellow Mormons they choose. As they are encouraging the children to get involved (aided, I gather, by pizza and fizzy pop) there may a lot of recent, sensitive material online now.
Sorry, I got dragged to the beach and am now finely coated in sand!
I have this page loaded as my favourite:
https://familysearch.org/search/collection/igi
I'm thinking that because it says IGI on the end of it, that's why I'm not getting the census results?
I do use the filters. When I was using the pilot site the filters filtered, but now they don't seem to (at least not a great deal!).
Trying for an example didn't work of course (:o), so watch this space and when I get the usual thing happening I'll post it then!!
(Kate, I remember a thread a while back where you found something on FS and it took me an age to get the same result as you. I think they key to my problem may lie with what happened when I solved that conundrum (with your help!) so I will have to see if I can find that thead and go through it again)
I am working my way through your replies and seeing loads of screens I've never seen before! lol
Are the LDS census transcriptions the same as anyone else's? (As far as I know the 1881 census is their transcription on everyone else's site, but I was wondering about the other dates)
Margaret in Burton
18-08-13, 17:26
Im finding this thread interesting as I too struggle with Family Search since they altered it.
kiterunner
18-08-13, 17:33
https://familysearch.org/search/collection/igi
I'm thinking that because it says IGI on the end of it, that's why I'm not getting the census results?
Yes, that would be it! This is the link to the main search page:
https://familysearch.org/search
Are the LDS census transcriptions the same as anyone else's? (As far as I know the 1881 census is their transcription on everyone else's site, but I was wondering about the other dates)
I believe the 1841-1861 censuses are FMP's indexes, while the 1871 started off with FMP's index but FamilySearch are in the process of improving this index and FMP will also get to use the improved index.
1891, 1901 - also takes you through to the images on FMP, but the index doesn't say provided by FMP so maybe FamilySearch indexed it themselves, I'm not sure. I don't remember hearing about them doing it, though, so I think more likely they are using FMP's index but have forgotten to say so in the information about the databases. Maybe we can cross-check a few records between the two sites?
1911 - they use FMP's index.
kiterunner
18-08-13, 17:36
There are loads of records on FamilySearch which are not included in the IGI, so I would definitely recommend usually going via the main search page , not the IGI one. (But sometimes you do have to go via the IGI search to find a record that you know is on the IGI but doesn't come up any other way.) If you get a load of irrelevant results then start narrowing down the search using the different options.
I am working my way through your replies and seeing loads of screens I've never seen before! lol
Are the LDS census transcriptions the same as anyone else's? (As far as I know the 1881 census is their transcription on everyone else's site, but I was wondering about the other dates)
Oi
The 1881 census transcription was done (largely) by family historians and merely co-ordinated by the LDS.
I have made contact with someone who says he found a baptism for a William Brown in 1800 in Berwick on Tweed/Tweedmouth some years ago but can't find it now.
He has date of birth and christening date - which he wrote out at the time, as well as most of the children's christenings. Not the marriage though.
So is there a way to see the record he saw some years ago?
Oi
The 1881 census transcription was done (largely) by family historians and merely co-ordinated by the LDS.
OOps! :o Sorry, Phoenix!
Kate, thanks for the info.
Julie, I have some printed out sheets of things I can no longer find on the IGI, so I do have proof they used to be there!!
kiterunner
18-08-13, 18:24
Can you post up the full details of the record, please, Julie, and I'll see if I can find it?
Thanks Kite
All he has is the dates not the church unfortunately
William Brown born 16 January 1800
christened 3 February.
In the 1851 census William says he was born in Tweedmouth, Northumberland. He died before 1861 census.
His wife Margaret Newton was born in Berwick on Tweed bc1801/2 through the census's but there is a christening for 1805 in the RC church in Berwick.
kiterunner
18-08-13, 18:48
Did it not state the parents' names, Julie?
Unfortunately not Kite - he just wrote down the birth & christening dates of William, Margaret and children children.
He says he was glad he'd written it down but he hadn't kept a copy of the record.
He gave the 1805 birth for Margaret Newton b 7 Feb 1805 and christened 17 Feb.
kiterunner
18-08-13, 19:17
I can't see it on FamilySearch, sorry.
Thanks for looking Kite.
Wonder if I order in the films to the FHC the record will be there - if only I knew the parish
Mary from Italy
18-08-13, 19:43
As a matter of interest I've been doing a lot of Warwickshire research recently, as Ancestry's put the PRs for most of Warwickshire online.
However, although Ancestry's transcribers are presumably paid, and the LDS ones are volunteers, I'm finding the FamilySearch transcriptions far better than Ancestry's for the Warwickshire parishes I'm interested in. FS doesn't have the images, unfortunately, so I often have to search FS first, then trawl for the image on Ancestry (and correct their transcription).
kiterunner
18-08-13, 21:51
Oh, I've found the IGI entry now, didn't think of looking in Scotland!
William Brown born 16 Jan 1800, christened 3 Feb 1800 Duns, Berwick, Scotland, parents Alexr Brown and Sarah Gray. (from the "community contributed IGI", i.e a submitted entry)
It doesn't come up if you search from the main FamilySearch search page but it does if you use the IGI search link that Merry posted (post #6). It is also on Scotland's People.
kiterunner
18-08-13, 22:00
There is a William Brown on the 1851 census at Duns, age 50, born Duns, shoemaker, wife Jane 45, children Margaret 24, Robert 22, Agnes 11, Sarah 7, and Janet 1. Could be the William from the baptism or not. SP has 4 William Browns (plus variants) baptised at Duns between 1795 and 1805.
tenterfieldjulie
18-08-13, 22:04
JBee I wonder if it was a member submitted entry that has now been removed. Julie
kiterunner
18-08-13, 22:07
Julie, it is a member submitted entry but it has not been removed - it's just that you have to search the submitted entries for it to come up.
kiterunner
18-08-13, 22:08
I'm not sure what the chances are of it being the right person if he was born at Duns, though, but it is the entry that JBee's contact found.
It doesn't come up if you search from the main FamilySearch search page but it does if you use the IGI search link that Merry posted (post #6).
lol I knew I'd come in useful!! :D
Thank you so much for finding it - I've now printed it off for my records.
I don't think it's my William Brown but I can tell my contact it's still on familysearch.
Wish I could find his marriage but I've got 3 marriages supposedly in Berwick on Tweed which I can't find and wonder whether it's just missing records or they hopped over the border for irregular border marriage!! lol
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~agene/lamberton.html
It took ages for me to find William's death - he died between 1851 and 1861 in Hartlepool and there so many to choose from but when I approached all the registrars in Hartlepool and surrounding areas no-one could find it. Then durhamonline had a burial in Hartlepool for a William Brown who died in Newcastle which fitted by age, he was a dock gateman in 1851 but a mariner when he died but living at dockgate cottage. So reckon it must be him.
Im finding this thread interesting as I too struggle with Family Search since they altered it.
I struggle too. I like the old system better.
lol I knew I'd come in useful!! :D
:) You are often useful in this hobby of ours, as are many others on this site.
One bad thing about the old Family Search was not being able to search using the names of the parents only. It's easy to forget the bad bits!
The one that worked best for me was the pilot for the new style site!
What are the benefits of signing in?
kiterunner
21-08-13, 08:27
What are the benefits of signing in?
Assuming you aren't planning to upload your tree, the only benefit I know if is that sometimes it will only let you view images if you are logged in, but I don't think this applies to any of the UK images they have at the moment (except some where you have to be a member of the LDS Church.)
Are you using the filters?
If, instead of saying you want a marriage, you scroll down, and then filter by marriage year or place you can refine your search and not get all the guff.
I now realise when people were asking if I used the filters, though I thought I was, the filters on the main part of the site are different to those on the IGI search page I was using before. The filters on the main search page actually work! lol Thanks.
I want a portrait shape computer screen. It irritates me so much that the landscape arrangement means I often miss useful bits.
Uncle John
22-08-13, 18:23
I want a portrait shape computer screen. It irritates me so much that the landscape arrangement means I often miss useful bits.
That's what Apple used to produce and why Apples were in the forefront of computer typesetting.
Oakum Picker
24-08-13, 09:25
Merry,
Not important but I was always able to search the old IGI using parents names only. The only slight problem was if you put in John & Sarah & the record was recorded as John then you didn't get it. Was that what you meant?
kiterunner
24-08-13, 10:15
There were annoying restrictions on the parent search on the old site, Glen, such as not being able to specify a date range nor country.
Merry,
Not important but I was always able to search the old IGI using parents names only. The only slight problem was if you put in John & Sarah & the record was recorded as John then you didn't get it. Was that what you meant?
There were annoying restrictions on the parent search on the old site, Glen, such as not being able to specify a date range nor country.
To be honest, I can't really remember. Perhaps it was what Kate mentioned that was such a problem with all my Smiths and other common surnames!
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