Question about Ancestry trees

[Merry]

OH is just trying to upload our (public) tree to Ancestry for the first time.

Two questions:

1) Does it take some time to go "live"? (as it doesn't show up using someone else's sign-on)

2) When we are looking at the tree, no one is privatised. I presume that's because it's our tree?

[kiterunner]

1.Yes.
2. Yes.

[Merry]

Thanks Kate.

[NickiP]

If you don't save any records to any profiles with their Ancestry sources (rather than manually created ones), it won't get indexed anyway public or not. Apparently not any old source citation will do, has to be one of Ancestry's.

[Merry]

Really?!! Well, I'm not about to go back through thousands of people and all their associated records to add ancestry sources!

Would my tree still be visible to people who look because we are related, even if it isn't 'indexed'?

[maggie_4_7]

Really?!! Well, I'm not about to go back through thousands of people and all their associated records to add ancestry sources!

Would my tree still be visible to people who look because we are related, even if it isn't 'indexed'?

As far as I am aware it is still indexed and searchable with or without sources because I have seen trees on Ancestry without any sources and on occaasion with only their own dubious sources if you see what I mean.

Just ensure you have selected not private and searchable on the settings.

[Merry]

Thanks Maggie.

I will take a closer look at it some time tomorrow!

[NickiP]

There have been a number of posts on the Ancestry forums about whether non-Ancestry sourced trees are indexed or not and the general consensus has been, I gather someone from Ancestry having confirmed it, that individuals are only indexed if they have Ancestry source records saved to the profile. If one or more people on the tree do, then those entries will be indexed but those without are only accessible by browsing the tree when found through one of the entries that has been indexed.

While I cannot on a quick search find anything concrete to confirm this, don't be surprised if your tree does not appear in the public tree index without any Ancestry sources.

[Merry]

I suppose it doesn't matter when it comes to viewing trees where the tree owner is a DNA match with the person searching, as those trees are not being searched for in the conventional way, just being a case of viewing the tree of an Ancestry account holder who appears on a list of DNA matches.

I have often searched for my direct ancestors to see who else has them on their trees, and have come across people who I have given a gedcom to, which they have clearly uploaded directly to Ancestry as part of massive trees with thousands of people included. I am surprised I can find the parts I have given them, as the chances of them adding Ancestry sources to the exact names I have searched for seems unlikely.

Having said the above, I just searched for my several times g-grandparents, Thomas Smith and Hannah Thackwell, who used to appear on several trees, all originating from my own tree (via gedcoms to other researchers), and none of those trees show up any more! I then switched Hannah's name to Hannah Gardner, as one researcher I used to be in contact with refused to accept her correct name - whilst there are several trees with this erroneous couple, none of them are the one belonging to the guy who I corresponded with, so have the rules about indexed trees changed in the last couple of years, perhaps?

[Merry]

When individuals on Ancestry trees have the source, "Ancestry Family Trees" (often repeated numerous times for the same person), what exactly does that mean?

Also similar for the source "One World Tree".

[Phoenix]

Well, this discussion has settled one little problem, I think.

If someone has put up a public tree and you have a DNA match, you can find the common surnames. But, if you search trees for an individual name, you cannot find them.

[Phoenix]

When individuals on Ancestry trees have the source, "Ancestry Family Trees" (often repeated numerous times for the same person), what exactly does that mean?


If you click on the icon, it will show you which trees appear to relate to the same family. It is basic laziness on the tree-builder's part: accepting someone else's research, usually without bothering to test it

[Merry]

Thanks Phoenix, that all makes sense!