Alan
E. Mann, AG
mngs@alanmann.com Accredited
Genealogist
www.alanmann.com/articles prepared
September 2004
Getting
More from FamilySearch Internet
FamilySearch is on the
Internet is at www.familysearch.org.
The site is divided into four major sections—Home, Search, Share, and Library.
This syllabus material focuses on the tips
and tricks rather than explaining each section. However, these tips and
tricks are arranged by site sections. Note that the IGI online is updated regularly.
Home
1.
The
FamilySearch Questions section is where you should look for answers to
questions or just to learn more about using this web site.
2.
Product
Support gives many more answers to questions about the web site and products of
the Family History Library. It also allows for connection for live answers.
3.
The
Order/Download section is where you download your free copy of PAF, but you
must click on Order/Download, then select Download
Software. This is also where you order CD-ROM products.
Search
This section
has five subsections, which appear in bold in the following paragraphs.
Search for Ancestors. This screen requires you to input the
first and last name of a person you would like to find. There are additional
boxes into which you can enter father's name (first and/or last), mother's name
(first and/or last), spouse's name (first and/or last), event type
(birth/marriage/death), and place.
1.
Fill
out as little information as needed for
an effective search. With an unusual name, searching by surname without
entering a first name may give you results otherwise overlooked. Even if you
know the birth year and parents’ full name, you may want to leave some or all
of those fields blank so as not to miss an entry that varies only slightly from
the information you think you know.
2.
Look
at the Sources Searched box, which
tells you which databases (Ancestral File, IGI, etc.) had that name in it (and
how many). You can click on any of the sources in that box to restrict your
view of results to just that source.
3.
Understand
what the different databases are and where they came from. Extraction and
submission are very different. NONE
of them are a complete index to any class of records.
4.
The
Sources Searched will tell you if
there were more than 25 hits from that source. NOTE that
only 25 are shown in the combined search results screen.
5.
You
may have additional search options if you select one database rather than
searching all at once. You also will see up to 200 hits from that database
rather than be limited to just 25.
6.
Use
caution before using the exact spelling box. If there are other spellings of
the surname, consider an exact spelling search anyway—just do more than one
search. You may also want to use exact spelling to include a middle name.
7.
Middle
names are IGNORED in FamilySearch, unless you check the exact spelling box (and
then it must be EXACT). Consider using the Hugh Wallis middle name index to the
IGI portion of the site.
Down the left
is a list of databases it searches. You can also restrict your search to a
single database by clicking on the database you want to search on the left.
1.
Use
the batch number search in the IGI.
This allows you to do a limited search by town or parish. It also lets you see
all the names submitted in particular batch or on a specific sheet. A
significant tool for batch number searches is Hugh Wallis’ web site at freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~hughwallis/IGIBatchNumbers.htm.
2.
Use
the submission number search in
Pedigree Resource File. This allows you to see every name submitted by that
person in that single submission.
3.
Specifically,
let’s look at Census Records
a.
Three
censuses (U.S. 1880, Canada 1881, Great Britain 1881) are fully indexed with
full information. Every name is indexed. Most people can easily find their
ancestors for two or three generations—back to a person who was alive in the
1880-1881 time period. When you find a person on the
census, you are able to see their parents, brothers, and sisters.
b.
Each
of these censuses can be searched several ways. It is important to experiment
and discover the various search options. Consider reading search tips on the
site. Remember, there are at least two places for each person—the place they
were born and the place they were when the census was taken. Often they are
living in a different state, county, or province than where they were born. You
must consider this as you are searching.
c.
On
the search screen, select place of birth or census place (where living when
census was taken) or both. Don’t confuse the two if they aren’t the same. For
example, your ancestor was born in
Research Guidance asks you to select a place where the
person you are trying to trace lived (state or country), then guides you step
by step through the process of finding the desired information on that person.
You tell the time period he or she lived, and RG tells you what records exist
for that time period in that place and outlines how you can go about finding
what you are looking for. Give it a try!
1.
See
"How Do I Begin," and "Determining the Country Where Your
Ancestor Lived,” links on the left hand side of the screen when you click on
Research Guidance.
2.
Have
a specific ancestor and goal in mind before using Research Guidance.
Research Helps has all of the publications of the
Family History Library, including Research Outlines, Research Guides, Forms,
Word Lists, and more.
1.
Use
the option to sort by different criteria.
2.
Offers
help on "Organizing My Files," contents of FHL registers, and much
more.
3.
Check
out the forms available.
4.
There
are guides to writing letters in other languages.
1.
Web Sites searches the
list of other web sites that FamilySearch volunteers have categorized. This
section of the site is no longer maintained and will eventually disappear. Note
that you can also browse the list by category.
Family History Library Catalog is the same as shown below under
Library.
Share
This section
allows you to log in to the familysearch.org web site. Click on the share tab.
If you have never registered with familysearch.org, click on “I need to
register” and fill out your information. Once registered, you can enter your
username and password each time you visit familysearch.org and click on the
Share tab. If you are a member of the LDS church, enter your username and
password, and then click the box that says “I am a member of the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.” The first time, you will need to confirm
your membership by entering you membership record number and confirmation date.
You only have to enter the information once, but you will need to log on each
time you visit in order to see ordinance data. This section, once logged in,
has two separate areas, as follows:
Collaborate with others.
·
Note
that there are four types of lists--same ancestor, surname, place, or topic
(the same topics used in Browse Web Sites).
·
When
searching, you will get better results using the second radio button (The
e-mail list name starts with the keyword). Thus a search for Mann will not get
Ackermann or Hermann.
·
When
using the keyword search, consider entering a space after the name. Thus, a
search for Mann with a space after it will exclude the names Manning and
Manners.
·
If
your search doesn’t find anything, create a group.
·
Join
those groups that apply to your ancestry, but remember that you won’t get
anything until someone sends another message. Past messages are not available.
Share my Genealogy.
1.
Check
your notes and sources before submitting. Take out any derogatory comments or
anything else you don’t want shared.
2.
Remove
details on living people before submitting.
3.
You
can check the status of your submission at any time.
4.
Be
sure to use the box to add a descriptive paragraph. Make the paragraph useful
(the major surnames, places, and time period in the database being submitted).
Library
Check classes
being taught at the Family History Library. Also notes on major conferences.
The major section here is the FHLC. Consider the following tips:
- Want a copy of the catalog record?
Don't click the print button! Look at the bottom of the screen, where it
probably says "For a printable version of this record, click
here." Click there and then print. It will print title information
and film number(s) rather than just one or the other.
- When a number of record titles are
returned, they appear in alphabetical order by the title in the catalog.
Sometimes the title is not what you expect (for example, an English parish
register usually is listed as Church of England, parish of….).
- Once a record is displayed, click
on View Film Notes to get the microfilm number. If there is no View Film
Notes button, the source is not available on film or fiche.
- Use View Related Places. This
requires using the level above the one you want (e.g., you want a town, so
find the county first—if you want a county, go to the state first). Can’t
find Stanton le Vale in
- Use an online gazetteer to know
how a place is listed. For example, an FHLC search for
- When there are more than 50
results, only 50 will be displayed, and the total number of
"hits" will be given. There will be a box at the bottom giving
you the option to jump to later results. If there are hundreds of results,
consider where your desired result would be in the list alphabetically.
- A subject search returns subject
headings, not records. Even though few subjects are given, the # of
records under those headings could be thousands.
- The subject search itself is
literal, not intelligent. A search for genealogy will give 448 hits even
though every subject heading in the FHLC has something to do with
genealogy. Only 448 subject headings actually contain the word genealogy.
Other
You may want
to consider using familysearcher or PAFInsight to get more from familysearch.org (for more
info, see my other article in this syllabus). Other improvements to
FamilySearch on the Internet are planned for the future. This site is now the
emphasis was making more resources available for the benefit of all. Watch for
future announcements!
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©Copyright 1999-2004 by Alan E. Mann, AG. All rights
reserved. Written permission to reproduce all or part of this syllabus material
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