Is there a trick to it?

LuAnn · Post by **LuAnn** » Sun Aug 12, 2007 11:37 pm

In trying to use the FreeCen site, I have not been able to get any information to come up. It either says sorry no matches found or tells me to narrow my search. I am wondering if Aberdeen has not yet been transcribed to the site. I am sure they are in the census just havent learned the intricacies of the site yet. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

LesleyB · Post by **LesleyB** » Sun Aug 12, 2007 11:44 pm

Hi LuAnn
There is a part of the Freecen site where you can check to see what has been transcribed so far. Its at:
http://www.freecen.org.uk/statistics.html

Click the year you are interested in, or scroll down to it, then the Details link for the county. You should be able to see what areas are already available on the site and what areas are still to be completed.

Best wishes
Lesley

Post by **marilyn morning** » Sun Aug 12, 2007 11:52 pm

Hi LuAnn

Have a look here

http://freecen.rootsweb.com/statistics.html

http://freecen.rootsweb.com/

Regards
Marilyn

Russell · Post by **Russell** » Mon Aug 13, 2007 12:19 am

Hi LuAnn

I noticed that both the 1841 and 1851 have been almost completely transcribed for Aberdeenshire. Your in luck there !

I always used to forget to set the date up at the top before I tried a search.
Once you have put in the 'name' and 'gender' (miss out 'age' initially) then set for the whole county unless you are absolutely sure they were in a specific town or village. This should bring up everyone of that name in the whole county.
Another way to search, if you know the village, is to enter the surname and gender plus the 'county' and 'census place'. This will bring up anyone of that surname. This works if not too many folk have that name but the system appears to cope with a couple of hundred 'hits'.
Once I have found my relatives I always look at the 'previous household' and work back at least a dozen entries in case(as often happened) there were other relatives living nearby. To get back to your original household hit 'modify search' and retry, then work forward using the 'next household' button.
If you are not getting any hits it may be a spelling thing and it's worth doing the search again with a different way of spelling the name.
Once you are used to it it's dead easy.

Russell

LuAnn · Post by **LuAnn** » Mon Aug 13, 2007 12:40 am

Thanks all, I will try again.

LuAnn

StewL · Post by **StewL** » Mon Aug 13, 2007 3:28 am

LuAnn

Just to add what Russell said about searching Freecen, thanks to some advice from a friend sometimes less is more

Often I have had better luck just putting in the names and the census year and hopefully you dont crash the system

Seriously when I have had trouble finding folk that has often been the solution.

Post by **joette** » Mon Aug 13, 2007 9:52 am

Yep especially if it's a less common surname-I have found rellies where I would never have thought to look otherwise.I put in the surname,male or female & if it's less than a thousand I think it pops out all the people with that name.
Some areas are done whilst others are patchy but I am so grateful for all the hard work that these volunteers put in.
I love the puzzles it solves & the ones it poses!

LuAnn · Post by **LuAnn** » Mon Aug 13, 2007 4:29 pm

Unfortunately mine "folks" have a very common name- Smith

and Ross. Have obtained possible names for the next generation back and will try an earlier census. see if that works.
Thanks for all the suggestions will keep trying
Can someone enlighten me as to what county Lochee , Forfarshire would be in?
Best .
LuAnn

CathieL · Post by **CathieL** » Mon Aug 13, 2007 5:13 pm

LuAnn
I have a marriage cert for Lochee and it says Burgh of Dundee.
Hope this helps
Cathie

LuAnn · Post by **LuAnn** » Mon Aug 13, 2007 5:30 pm

Im sure it will many thanks.

LuAnn