Using Ancestry.com

[Pixie 162]

My apologies if this has been covered else where - I'm on my phone and can't search the forum but I did have a quick look.

Iv started doing some family research today, I registered myself at the library and used their access to ancestry.com, well, I can't find birth citificates or anything, I'm just finding these list-type documents, and of course I need the birth citificates to help me go further along the tree.

Can anyone explain if/where I'm going wrong and if I can somehow view the certificates needed? Iv traced back to 1890s so far just by the info I already had

[carni 10,094]

Hi Pixie

I have traced a lot of my ancestors on that site,and as far as know you have to order the birth certificates,You just get on Births Deaths Marriages,find the person you are looking for and you will get the option to order one,i have never been able to just view one unless someone else researching that person has photographed their copy and put it in their public tree.i am no expert, i just dabble and i am only sharing my experiences.Good Luck.

[Cliff Ton 10,452]

You can't view birth certificates (or death or marriage) by any online service. As carni says, you have to pay for them from the government website https://www.gov.uk/order-copy-birth-death-marriage-certificate

Ancestry.co.uk or Findmypast.co.uk will give you a lot of information about dates of birth/death, parents, addresses at time of census etc etc. It depends on what you want to know, and how much you already know.

[carni 10,094]

I had a look on Ancestry .com and from 1912 you will see the mothers maiden name also shown on the Births index,until then you will only see the fathers name,i think it would be on the birth certificate though.Pixie it is always wise to check any info like this as it is only things i have noticed when i have been researching my family tree,but it gives you some thing to look for.Happy Hunting.

[Cliff Ton 10,452]

Various certificates will give you information it would be difficult to get anywhere else. By selective use of the information, you can learn a lot and deduce a lot more.

For instance on birth certificates you'll get

 

 

Birth - Where and when

 

 

 

Parents' names (and maiden name)Age and profession of parents

 

 

Name of a witness/informant

 

 

On marriage certificates you'll get

 

 

Where and when

 

 

Names and profession of those involved

 

Addresses at time of marriage

 

Name and profession of their father

 

Name of a witness/informant

 

 

 

 

And on death certs you'll get

 

Where and when

 

 

 

Name and age and occupation

 

Cause of death

 

Informant name and address

 

 

If you order any certificates, make sure you get the correct person. You won't get a refund if you end up with the wrong one.

 

 

[Pixie 162]

I have been talking to my mum today and she's given me names and rough year's of birth of my 3x grandparents. So I can now go to early/mid 1800's

I don't pay to use the website, I use it via the library, but on the documents that come up I can't see any parents names on them. Just the actual persons name and area of birth/registration. I just want their parents names so I can go further and further back, but it was my first time using it so I'll have another go next week when I go again.

Also, is there anywhere/way I can find out a relations original sir name? I'm trying to find someone on the ancestry but they had they're name changed in childhood and I have no idea what the original name was.

[BulwellBrian 107]

Try using the census records & see if you can find them, if you can find them in 1911 you will get the whole family living at the address, then try going back 1891, 1881, 1871, 1861, 1851 and 1841. but watch out for altenative spellings in the early years many people could not write and you get what the census taker thought was said,

Good hunting.

[Rob.L 1,086]

You can also use www.familysearch.org - that's the Mormon site which has lots of searchable BMDs. While not a primary source, you can use it to find out where and when people were born. Useful if they traveled around.

[Rob.L 1,086]

Iv had a little help from a couple of friends, and managed to trace a set of grandparent back to 1866. Problem is, now i dont know if my great x3 grandparents are the ones from wales or leeds! Is there anywhere on the web i can view census records for free?

Familysearch has some of the censuses, you could try there. Try this link:

https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/list#page=1&region=UNITED_KINGDOM_IRELAND

[VWGolf 21]

You will normally have to take out a subscription to Ancestry.co.uk before you can see much and it cost £100+ per year.

However, I use Family Tree Maker software and if you buy that from somewhere like eBay, you often get three or six months free subscription to Ancestry. And if you don't mind a slightly older version of the software, say 2011 or 2012 version, it's even cheaper. Just be aware that when you register for the free subscription, they ask for your credit card details, and if you don't remember to cancel it before the end of your three/six month free period, they will charge you from when that ends.

[Pixie 162]

Iv managed to trace some more family back to 1820's, all quite local people.. from bristol then settled in good old Nottingham (netherfield + Carlton) I'm going to look online for the soft wear and see what I can find, thank you for suggesting that, very handy! Does anyone know where I can find more info about certain members of family? Iv been watching the program about the workhouse and it fascinates me to see that these celebs are sitting and reading about ancestors checking into hospitals, their place of work etc. And how would I go about finding out if any of my family where ever in the work house? Would that be a trip needed to the Nottingham archives?

[annswabey 599]

Unless you've got some evidence that a family member was in a workhouse at some stage, from a census or birth or death certificate, it wouldn't be practical to do a speculative search. You wouldn't know which workhouse and when!

Another source worth looking at is 19th Century British Newspapers which has the Nottinghamshire Guardian and you can probably search the database from home, if you're a member of Notts Libraries, for free. See here

https://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/learning/libraries/

[nonnaB 4,894]

I have just renewed my membership after a couple of years absence. It has changed so much. At the moment I'm not happy with it. The records of historical events is great and Ive added quite a few but I work on ipad and its so slow that when I try to select it takes ages to appear and comes on in fits and starts. All other programmes work well. I've just switched on my pc or rather I switched it on an hour ago and I'm still waiting for it to decide if it wants to work or not. If it works well I shall continue to work on that but I don't like using the pc as its old and does take a long time to bootup with all the antivirus scans and updates. Maybe I shall have to switch it on more often. It would be interesting to hear what others think. I have noticed too that a lot of B&D dates are either mixed up or are wrong.

[The Pianoman 1,532]

I find Ancestry hard work. I finally stopped using when looking for my 2x Great Grandfather who was born at Newark. On trying to type Newark in the box a load of pop downs appears and every Newark in the USA appears. Newark, Notts doesn't exist and couldn't override the popdowns so I thought stuff it.

[carni 10,094]

I have been on Ancestry.com for about 6/7 yrs. I did my family tree and after finding information that I was particularly looking for; I lost interest a bit. My tree only goes back as far as the first census records, which shows my Gt Gt Gt G/dad born 1820 and living in Thurgaton.

I couldn't resist paying for another year last June; but I only mess around on there now. It has changed and I don't get on with the new way it works. I don't get any pop ups but I find it difficult to maneuver round the site now.

If I can resist it, this might be my last year. I have to say it has proved to be brilliant in unearthing family information for me. It took all the guess work about family queries.

[nonnaB 4,894]

I agree Carni. The new look is difficult to understand and what you're looking for doesn't appear. Wondered if it would help to make a complaint !!! Did use my pc instead of ipad its still the same. ,

,

[Cliff Ton 10,452]

I also noticed in the past few months their set-up has changed so that you can no longer "browse" Ancestry in the way which used to be possible. Without paying or joining in any way, you could look at the basic information and see what was there. No you can't get in at all without logging in or signing up.

I never liked their layout and display anyway; always found them complicated and confusing. I've always preferred Find My Past http://www.findmypast.co.uk/

With them you can still do the basic browsing free; and their layout and presentation is much better.

[annswabey 599]

I use Ancestry all the time. While there are lots of transcription errors, I find it much easier to search than FindmyPast. You need to limit searches to particular databases to narrow down the results. Don't put too much detail into the search and make use of * for wildcards in case of different spellings etc.

With FMP it's often not easy to find specific databases

[Rob.L 1,086]

I generally only use Ancestry when I get a new credit or debit card. Set up a new email address, then sign up for their free trial offer, remembering to cancel the account before the end of the trial.

As I've virtually exhausted all lines of research with UK, Aus and NZ records, we're waiting on them adding more Polish and Czech records before we give it another go.

[davep5491 360]

I use Family Tree Maker (1 off purchase around £20-£40) side by side with Ancestry.co.uk. Annual renewal equal to less than a pint a week

I find it easy to use and changes can be made to FTM or Ancestry and Synched through FTM. This also updates all copies including those on iPad, iPhone..which I use as notebooks if I'm out and about.

At my desk I also run a separate screen with the excellent Familysearch.org.

[davep5491 360]

I have 1163 people on my tree nearly all found by using FTM and Ancestry.

A few months ago I had my DNA tested to find other family members, and to assist a relative who wanted confirmation of her grandfather's parents. So far 3 second cousins, and hundreds of possibles which I will leave alone at this stage.

Apparently I am 22% Scandinavian 34% West European and 44% British and speak Nottinghamese.

I have found connections with a number of famous people past and present and a few skeletons as well. With modern media resources it is amazing that I can find information about people my parents and relatives mentioned many years ago and being able to plot their lives is fascinating.

[The Pianoman 1,532]

Dave. Mentioned this before and hope I didn't put my proverbial foot in it as you went away for a while after I mentioned it to you. I was wondering if you were any relation to my Fathers half brother. He was Charles Stanley Prince but known as Stan, born 1917. He would have become Stan Harvey before he was a year old as his mother (My Grandmother) married my grandfather Edward Harvey. Stans Dad was also Charles Stanley Prince. Possibly originated from Medders but I knew Stan at Bracebridge Drive. Just curious really.

[nonnaB 4,894]

I suddenly remembered this afternoon that at the beginning of 2014 i downloaded FTM. I've just found it on pc and updated it and converted all my files now I have to remember how to use it. I have to go through about 2700 as a lot of dates are wrong or theres people missing. My paternal g/ father and thats a near ancester goodness knows about the rest. Will admit though Ftm is a lot easier to use.

[DAVIDW 1,681]

Good News :

Find My Past have today put up a new database of the 1939 Registration . This listed much of the information as was in a census and was an emergency measure for wartime needs including conscription and the issue of ration books . It lists names , address, date of birth , marital status and occupation . Doesn't list the relationship details .

Bad News:

Though you can glean a minimum amount of info for free , assuming you know date of birth and district , to open the record it costs 6.95 a pop ! Theres 25 % discount if you subscribe to FMP. I wasn't going to pay but was intrigued to find my grandad living with 3 other people in Carlton U.D. when I assumed he would be on his own . Grandma died years before .

My grandad died in 1941 and I don't really know much about him but expected to find him living on Carlton Hill in 1939 . So I paid out and as it happens, found he was living with my dads brother and his wife a few miles away in Gedling

.Also there was another aunt who was looking after her sickly dad .

It may be worth it for a few just to solve those "brickwalls" !

Strangely couldn't find my wifes mum using her maiden name (she was unmarried in 1939) . She did appear though with her married name .Strange because she didn't marry until 1945 so during the war there must have been a small army of clerks updating these records. Also certain records are hidden where it assumes some people are still living today so it mainly lists those born before 1915 .

http://www.findmypast.co.uk/1939register?gclid=CLzCveLR8sgCFWjmwgod1PIExw&dclid=CJ-20eLR8sgCFUKUwgodalEHLw

[davep5491 360]

Hi Pianoman #10

Here's what I posted back in May. I will keep looking though.

Posted 23 May 2015 - 12:24 AM

Hi Pianoman #27

Don't know how much of this you have but this is what I've found.

WW1 records show

Charles Prince enlisted 13 April 1918 in Nottingham age 48 years and 2 months - next of kin was Florence Rose Prince (nee Laykin) married 1916, living at 49 Althorpe Grove, Vernon Road.- Charles Stanley Prince born 3 August 1917. Charles Prince died 1918 and letter showing all personal possessions were sent early 1919 to Florence Rose Harvey post diverted from Althorpe Grove to 10 Derwent Street Nottingham.

His enlistment form states that Charles born 1870 was born in Cape Town South Africa so unfortunately I can't see a link with my lot.