Genealogy Chat

Oh yes, Jess and Brenda totally agree. I mean we are all looking from a knowledge of a name but if you had no idea at all - you can see why they get mistranscribed. It is only the names Im absolutely sure of that I correct with them and I dont think we can be too picky about addresses as over time county borders have moved (though I think the guy who was in Syria instead of Surrey last week may be an exception)

I'll second Jess on that. I transcribed a little of the 1881 census that ultimately went onto the LDS site. The enumerator did not complete his letters and there was nothing to distinguish an a from a u. In a small village, your knowledge would inform you, but in a metropolis you can only guess. For all my criticisms of Ancestry, and it still isn't worth my while to join, they are working from digitised images, not the photocopies that we had to rely on, and there are plenty of instances where they have got the name right where others have struggled to see it.

I've done lots of transcribing (so think I'm allowed my opinion LOL), so at the risk of being slapped down, I THINK Ancestry transcribers ARE paid......but the cheapest people to use were those from a non-English speaking country. We have to remember that lots of people on the census are transcribed CORRECTLY!!!! I'm amazed at how some of them are right when you see the image. I think after Ancestry had paid for the first transcription they should have run the results through a program of known European surnames to try and weed out some of the completely ridiculous efforts. If the surnames are correct, or at least begin with the correct first three letters searching is a lot easier. Merry

Thank you, Heather - I'll try that. Helen

Please remember that people are not paid to trancribes these images- You have to put what it looks like to you and not what you think is correct. Look at the images and please also remeber that some of the people that do transcriobe dont even spaek english , nor perhaps understand english spelling patterns, let alone place names. I started transcribing and gave up, not because i didnt enjoy it -i did- but simply because of the moans and groans of people that havent even tried it. IT ISNT EASY! Jess x

Yes, if you click on the actual person that has the wrong name in the family on the right hand side of the page is a little box which has corrections in it. Click on that and you fill in a little form giving the right name and saying why their transcription is wrong. I usually say something like, 'this is my direct ancestor (GGFx2 or whatever) and his name is clearly Sandor nor Salinor' They are quite quick to put a little symbol on to the name when you do a search giving you the alternative.

Does anyone know where to report incorrect name transcriptions to Ancestry? I can't see a link on the site? P.S. While browsing for my elusive Charlotte Key and William Stewart Tull ( I know they were alive as they married each other in 1854! - any tips?) on the 1851, I found the following:- Hoh Ile Felggore C A Faley In my opinion, it says: Honourable Fitzgerald C. (or possibly G.) Foley !!!!

Yes I submitted a correction about a 67 year old son who was an apprentice and clearly only 17!

I came across a family of 10 in Wales today, each of whom had the surname 'Ten Kin'. Inrigued, I looked at the page - it was 'Jenkin' as clear as day! Liz x

Name spellings - dont get me started......... One example - my Great x 3 Grandmother and her parents. Their name should be Elsey - which they managed to get right for the Head and his wife - but all the children have gone in as Olsey - why or why Searching 1851 is going to be fun to say the least.

Found a relative on 1851 - his name Jonas - Ancestry says he's a 'sailor' - I was intrigued. When I looked at the 'original' it was quite clearly 'Visitor'. Hey Ho! M.Steer

Sue I am sure you are aware......But here's for all of those still to find and report errors. At the moment you can only report incorrect names. Which means all the intrestingly mistranscribed discriptions for places of birth and places of residence cannot be corrected and are therefore rendered, for the forseeable future, useless when searching :( Chris

Know what you mean. One of my lot has been mis-transcribed as 'Puppet' in Relationship Column. Looked at the image, clearly says 'Pauper'. Honestly, where do they get these people from?!!! LOL

Already reported Mary spelt Maryt which made it very hard to find and there is certanly no 't' anywhere on name

Found one relationship to head of house a 'Nagger' and head of house was a 'WOBSLEY' which is what the enumerator has actually written ..... any ideas on that! Kim

I've submitted loads of corrections today lol Make you wonder how they come up with some of the words!

Oh what fun this is going to be so many spelling mistakes and but when you look at the image it is clear as day. But this just made me laugh - clear as day on the census and well to anyone who is writing a relationship This is a relationship to a head of household on 1851 census 'Wifes Sou Before Msrsia'