Alan
E. Mann, AG
fhfair@alanmann.com Accredited
Genealogist
www.alanmann.com/articles prepared
March 2005
Using
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 article 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 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 limit a 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. Also use the excellent tool PRFMagnet
(small cost) available at www.pedigreemagnet.com.
3.
Specifically,
let’s look at Census Records
a.
Three censuses
(U.S. 1880, Canada 1881, Great Britain 1881) have full information with 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.
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, enter your username and password each
time you visit familysearch.org and click on the Share tab. If you are an LDS church member,
check the box that says “I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints.” The first time, you will confirm your membership by
entering you membership record number and confirmation date. You only enter
this 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
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.
This is how you get
information into the Pedigree Resource File. It is done over the Internet using
a GEDCOM export of your genealogy data file.
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.
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 many record titles are returned, they
appear in alphabetical order by the title in the catalog. Sometimes the title
is not what you expect (e.g., an English parish register is listed as
Church of England, parish of….).
- Once a record is displayed, click on View Film
Notes to get the film number. If there is no such 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 contain the word genealogy.
Other
You may want to consider
using familysearcher, PedigreeMagnet,
or PAFInsight to get more from familysearch.org.
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 1999-2005 by Alan E. Mann, AG. All rights reserved. Written
permission to reproduce all or part of this syllabus material in any format,
including photocopying, data retrieval, or the Internet, must be secured in
advance from the copyright holder.