Why is it so hard to find someone?

[Arthur]

Genealogy can be tricky - but not half as tricky as those who filled in the census paper all those years ago!
Was looking for Elizabeth Smith, my granny (Yes! There are a few Smiths around!). No trace. Knew the town - it only has 3 streets, but no sign on Census of 1881. Found Elizabeth's brother Thomas in 1991. He was a tailor. Tracked him back to 1881. Found him! He was a tailor's errand boy, then. Checked his 1881 Census. Found this ...

Schedule delivered to & uplifted from Jas. Dorrans, the tenant, who was from home on the night of Sunday 5th April, and is elsewhere enumerated.
John Smith Head
Elis Do Wife
Thos Do Son
Maggie R Do Daug
Lizzie Do Do
Isabella Do Visitor

Not only do you have to understand the love of abbreviations - Do for 'ditto' is OK, Daug? I'm sure she was not that ugly looking. But when it comes to searching, putting in 'Elizabeth' did NOT find 'Lizzie'. Though 'Thomas' did find 'Thos'. And as for Margaret Roxburgh Smith, that middle initial helped me track her down in life. And after.

[paddyscar]

Hello Arthur!

Have you tried looking for her at https://familysearch.org ? Also Ancestry is free for the Easter weekend.

Have you tried Elisabeth or Eli*th ? or as Elspeth?

As you've not included the ages or location from the census, it was not possible to trim down the list on either ScotlandsPeople or familysearch.

All the best,
Frances

[trish1]

Hello Arthur!

Have you tried looking for her at https://familysearch.org ?
....

All the best,
Frances

I find family search is really good for name variations. Other sites use some but Family search seems to incorporate more. Elizabeth is a good example - Liz, Lizzie, Betty etc are all included. It also uses variations on surnames which is equally important when looking at parish records from before civil registration.

(my given name also has many variations - all of which are used on the census - sometimes the aim is to confuse )

Trish

[StewL]

Using Scotlands People there are a few ways to look for a name either given or surname, there is a section on the right that when opened will give you a variety of variants that can help the search. well worth having a look, including fuzzy search and others