Tracing Family tree without certificates

Post by **steveabye** » 02 Oct 2008 12:38

Hi All,

I've been asked to trace a tree but due to lack of funds there is no money available to purchase certificates. This of cause means I cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information using only Census Returns and LDS.
I have been given all the details from Birth, Marriage and Death certificates held by the family which gets the tree back to the 1901 Census.
My question is what level of accuracy, in percentage terms, would you advice I can state to the person concerned from this point onwards.

ID:3064

RalfofAmber · Post by **RalfofAmber** » 02 Oct 2008 13:55

I would say it depends on how common surnames were in the locations you are looking at. I know I have extrapolated backwards and got at least one line completely wrong even in my immediate tree with moderately busy surnames. In small villages at the start of the 1800s I have found so few forenames in use that which James married which Mary and had which Anne who marries someone 20 years later becomes slightly speculative when ages are all similar!

Post by **NickWalker** » 02 Oct 2008 18:06

One issue that people often forget with regards to the LDS/IGI (Familysearch) parish records is that it doesn't show occupation and this can often be a good clue. If you are looking for a baptism of a boy who in later life is a joiner and you find two possible baptisms, one the son of a joiner and the other the son of a shoemaker it gives you a greater chance of guessing which is the correct one. It is sometimes impossible to be certain but this kind of thing can increase your odds of being right.

Also with regards to the IGI if an entry is recorded as being a member submission there is more chance that it is not accurate.

ChrisBowyer · Post by **ChrisBowyer** » 07 Oct 2008 03:58

I've often found a useful way to boost your confidence that you've got the right line is to see if you can find out what happened to the other people of similar name in the area. Seems like a waste of time, but can be invaluable. I've even once bought a certificate for someone who I think is not my relative in order to be sure that the other one is mine. But be careful of any process of elimination... there's always the possibility that the one you want is in fact a third person who you haven't found at all yet. Remember it's only ever what seems most likely from the information available, and subject to revision in the light of new evidence. I remember once getting a reply from a contact where I'd queried (politely I hope) something on their tree, who said 'I know it's true because my friend has personally inspected the parish records'. Needless to say, it subsequently proved to be based on several mis-identifications.

It wouldn't be half so much fun if it was easy.

vickyh · Post by **vickyh** » 07 Oct 2008 09:20

We went down a wrong line completely for one person because we didn't get their marriage certificate. When we eventually did, we realised that the wife had been married before and therefore what we thought was her maiden name, was in fact her name from her first marriage and we'd gone down quite a way following the wrong person.

I think you'll be ok to a point, but I reckon you might need to persuade the person you're doing the tree for to find the money for an occasional certificate. You're bound to get a situation where you have at least two possible options for someone and the only way to go back further with any certainty will be with a certificate.

Post by **steveabye** » 07 Oct 2008 10:52

vickyh said:
You're bound to get a situation where you have at least two possible options for someone and the only way to go back further with any certainty will be with a certificate.

Have reached this point with one pair of Great Grandparents on both paternal and maternal lines. Explained to the person concerned that I can't research any further unless I have BC's and/or MC's for those concerned. Funds aren't available so I've stopped working on it. Thanks for your replies.

Steve

ADC65 · Post by **ADC65** » 07 Oct 2008 21:59

Bit of a long shot, but it might be worth putting the tree you have done so far on Genes Reunited and seeing if you get any matches or contacts. A more passive way of doing family research you might say, letting others do the work for you

SunnyLady · Post by **SunnyLady** » 08 Oct 2008 09:45

BUT remember if you do put it on, there are many out there who make leaps of faith with no back up - both on Genes and Ancestry... variously on a line I am tracing the father comes from Hungary, Wiltshire, and Hampshire. But those folk when asked are totally convinced their version is right though they cannot prove it other than to point me to IGI (about which there is already a health warning above). Doesn't matter if one is doing it for oneself but a bit more awkward if you are following up on someone else's tree. Having said that the best contact, another line, came via Genes and Lost Cousins (same person following the leads)...

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