Family Historian User Group

Apologies in advance for sounding really dim . I already have lots of information (names, dates of birth, death, marriage occupation, etc - some from certificates, mostly from FreeBMD and census records) in my tree but until recently knew nothing about Ancestral Sources as a means to record census facts (or, to be perfectly honest, the 'proper' way to use FH). I have previously kept very random census information as 'notes' and really want to review my work and enter the information correctly. However, I'm confused as to whether to change the family members name that I have already recorded for the one suggested by the census being entered (I want to track the variations) or is the name shown on the census only recorded on the source document? The same goes for occupation. I'm quite happy to have multiple occupation, name facts, etc, but don't want to lose the ones I already have. What's 'best practice'?

Generally names on Census Returns are notoriously unreliable because people tended to use their popular name &/or nickname rather than their formal Birth Certificate name, which should be recorded as the Primary Name.

So it is quite common to just record informal names in the Source Record transcript Text From Source and Ancestral Sources allows for that.

Multiple Occupations is perfectly OK.

However, some users like to record every detail and have multiple Names - the choice is yours.

I think AS only replaces an existing matching Census Event, but experiment in the Family Historian Sample Project if you want to be sure.

Thanks for prompt reply. I'm trying to use the Detail tab to record alternate name, nickname and name used, but I'm not quite sure the implication/outcome of this as I'm not really using queries or reports as yet, which is where I am assuming these fields might come into their own?

Yes, Queries and most Reports can be customised to include all those alternate Names.

In the few Report exceptions, there is a Version 5 Plugin that can either put all the names in the Primary Name temporarily, or create an Also Known As Fact, that allows for inclusion in such Reports.

Depending on your need, that may be a reason for upgrading from Version 4.