Genealogy Chat

Hi William, The 1901 is supposed to be complete, but it has numerous errors made on the original returns and on the transcriptions for the 1901 website. If a surname is unusual and the enumerator's handwriting faded or difficult to decipher, many of us would make a mistake. Marno could easily be mistaken for something much more common, such as Munro - if the 'a' was 'open' and the 'r' and 'n' run into each other. I've found a couple of my uncommon surnames indexed on 1901 as totally different names, yet when I've accessed the actual image of the census page the surname is clearly mine, but that's because I'm familiar with it. Best wishes, Carole

1901 site is complete except for part of kent. But there are many transcription errors. try searchin with just ma*** for the name and it will bring up variants and mistranscribed details.

Hi there Billy. One of the first tips I was given, when I asked for help to get started from this site, was simply... ask. Just ask all and sundry, even the neighbours and include your local clergyman. Even ask people who you think may know nothing about your family, often they do. The second tip was to keep a pencil and piece of paper handy to write down the things you are told. The third, which I only started a little later, was to keep a journal, or diary of who you had asked what.... it saves you going over old ground again and again. My own tip is that when you get to that big brick wall (and you will) don't bash your head against it, just try walking round the edge! Good luck, Roger in East Sussex

Thanks to all the people who have replied. I have another question now....is the 1901 census online complete ?? The reason I ask is I am 99% certain my fathers family were in the London area at the time, they have an unusual surname ( Marno) and when I search online I think about 8 names come up but none of them tally up with what I have found so far. Thanks again Billy

There is a very good newbie site at: www.genuki.org.uk/gs/Newbie.html Janet

Find a good family tree program that you like and make sure you back it up off your computer often - onto a CD or floppy disk. Notate, when you get information, where you got it from....it'll save a lot of time searching places you've already been. Happy hunting! Judy :)

Hi, The best tip I can give any newbie is to buy a book about the basics of genealogy. There are a lot on the market - our local Waterstones has loads. The answers to a lot of newbie questions will always be there. Books are much easier to browse than the web and have indexes. I have amassed quite a collection now as I delve deeper and deeper but I still use the basic guides I bought years ago when I encounter something new. Gwynne

There are a lot of free sites on the net wwhich you will find useful, LDS included. However do not take any of it at face value, You have to prove it yourself. The IGI (you will eventually find what this means) is fairly accurate and the 1881 census but remember it is transcribed by humans who write what they see and is full of inaccuracies which unfortunately people are perpetuating. Use these sites in the hope they give you a good guide to where to look to verify. I keep recommending this site to people but it is a very long read and so I recommend you copy it. Replace dot with . http://wwwdotgenukidotorgdotuk/gs/Newbiedothtml Good luck in your new and addictive hobby. John

Hi Billy, If you click on the resource centre to the left of the page, then onto useful links there are some sites there to help get you started! Tracey

You can stick to one name and find out as much as possible about that or you can just collect as much info as you can about all the members of your family. Put names in the search box on this site to see if any other members of your family are already on this site . KIM

Hi Will, try this site,LDS, address:www(.)familysearch(.)org(/) remove brackets. i have found quite a few of my rellies on there,and it's free! you could send for certs.could be expensive tho'. i hav'nt sent for any so far,and have got back to 1811!! or you could ask the kind peole on here to do look ups for you,i have done that and they have been very helpfull,i have found a few people who are related where the tree has branched off,so you never know what you could find!!!! anyway,good luck and happy hunting,you will get very addicted!! chris.

Hi. I am very new to this family tree business and can see I am going to get easily addicted !!! Can people please give me some tips as to where to start, what sites are any good etc I have read tips about asking members of your family for information but this is proving difficult as there seem to be one or two skeletons in the cupboard so people aren't forthcoming with the information Also do people concentrate on one branch of their tree or do they swop and change. Also do you order evert certificate that fits in your tree in the hope it will provide further information Thanks Billy