Genealogy Chat

I suspect Kate is right in guessing that OCR has been used to create the index. This explains some of the consistent 'errors' - the same name being misinterpreted the same way on different pages. One reason why you might not see your pages come up would be if the 'first' name on the page was set too high in the alphabet. The search will be looking for pages where your input name falls between the first and last, so if the first is incorrect and higher than your inpyt, that page will be ignored. You can still browse through the sequence to find the right page but that is tedious, even though it is free. Oh well, back to the hunt. Jim

I rather suspect that for typed pages the 'transcribing' may have been done using OCR software rather than actual people, which could explain seemingly idiotic interpretations of some of the names. If the quality of the image is poor, the OCR software would most likely 'read' the letters wrongly. They would have had to use real people to transcribe the handwritten ones though. Perhaps the reason Family Relatives haven't managed to get a full index for after 1920 yet could be to do with the poor quality of those pages, as I believe they also used OCR software for their 1866-1920 index, and I have often wondered why they couldn't do the same easily for post-1920. Kate.

Mandy Like you I couldnt find myself on Ancestry (I put in my name and quarter and year). I got lots of tips on how to look but still couldn't find myself lol So as a last resort I just put in my surname and lo and behold I got a longer list of quarters come up , scrolled down to the S's and there I was !! Have no idea why it wouldn't come up with both names but hoorah I do exist lol Don't know if you have tried this but worth a try if you haven't. Love Sue x

Will give the link again. Although the site does seem to be having problems. Probably overloaded with everyone trying to find themselves. LOL Oh, I found myself straight away. Well I knew I existed. Dont panic, the records arent going anywhere. They arent going to take them off again. Just go in from this link and bookmark it http://www.ancestry(.)co(.)uk/search/rectype/vital/freebmd/bmd.aspx remove brackets Margaret

I can't find me on ancestry either but I know that I have been around for 48 years and 108 months, many of us have seen some mistakes but what ever they are I'm having great fun searching for many of my missing relatives, and those of us that have been at genealogy for a few years will remember the fiasco of the 1901 census being released when it crashed after only a few days and it was then over six months before it came back on line, so well done Ancestry . Pam

Kate Many thanks for your kind offer, but I've got the reference from 1837. Just very strange that my page isn't on Ancestry! However, I think it's like some of you have said - there are lots of transcription errors on there. Derek Yes, I also transcribe for FreeBMD and frequently see such obvious mistranscriptions on Ancestry that it amazes me. Especially as we do it voluntarily, and Ancestry transcribers are paid!! Glyn It's ok, I can see you so you do exist lol! Although you're not on Ancestry, have you found yourself on 1837? If not, let me know and I'll take a look for you because I've still got some credits left. Mandy :)

Well neither of my entries exist,not my birth details or my entry after my adoption.I can find bm and mum but not me. Had to try 2 methods for mother though,as a search for her name drew a blank,then clicked on the year,selected a quarter and you get a dropdown for the first letter of the surname.That worked. But then seeing as i don't exist in any guise you won't be able to read this. Glen

I’ve just been trying to find an uncommon name over a four year period and I was presented with 66 pages to search!!! There is only one or two instances of this name per quarter, so there should have been 16 pages. The other 50 were generated by transcription errors. In most cases these are not caused by the original being difficult to read (they are printed pages) but just typos. Things like ‘Smith’ transcribed as ‘Dmiyh’. The transcriber is obviously hitting the wrong keys. When I transcribe for FreeBMD, I verify my work twice before submitting. I don’t think Ancestry can be doing any verification of their transcriptions. Whinge over. Derek.

Go in this way and bookmark the page http://www.ancestry(.)co(.)uk/search/rectype/vital/freebmd/bmd.aspx remove the brackets Margaret

mandy probably not:( pmsl ive had subs to ancestry for 2yrs but still dont know my way round the site durrrr will have another go ok? susie

Mandy - have you tried looking for the page using the 'browse' facility, as the first / last names on page may have been mis-indexed? There is also some mis-indexing on 1837 online, but I would say much less than on ancestry, and usually you can figure out what page you need by using browse. If you still can't find it that way and want some help, if you send me a private message with the details on I'll see if I can find it on ancestry. Kate.

Hiya Susie! Not being rude, but are you searching correctly? I only ask because I wasn't lol!! On one of the threads, there's instructions on where to look; I think you have to go to 'more' under the UK civil registration heading and then scroll down (sorry to be vague, I have to open up the thread when I go onto Ancestry!). Hope you're ok! Love Mandy :) xx

im convinced its not complete! i cant find any births.deaths or marriages from buckinghamshire. susie

Power Since Yesterday Margaret

Hi, How long has the full BMD been on Ancestry? Have I just not noticed it being there? How come it is free (not complaining though!) Sue

I am definitely positively absolutely on 1837 (1st quarter 1964) but that page definitely positively absolutely does not exist on Ancestry pmsl! When I typed in just the surname, no pages came up at all, so according to Ancestry there was nobody in the whole of the UK registered in 1st quarter 1964 with my surname (highly unlikely, it's not an unusual name!). Ah well, I suppose there are bound to be teething problems, and I've also encountered some of the oddities that you've mentioned here. At least I know I exist ... I think!! Mandy :)))

I was looking up the death of my grandfather (not sure of exact year, but can place the decade) , and it gave births for 1983, not deaths. And I double checked just in case I had goofed but no, it was still bringing up births. I shall have to report that as I'm now pretty sure that's the year :-(

I am fed up with looking for 'K' as surname and getting a page that starts with the christian names! Or is it me doing summut wrong?............yet again. DOH!

was having fun but now its stopped must be to many using it. try again in the morning Jeanette

Trawled 5 years for Catherine Hanson, legs aching, time for bed. nite nite.