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Thread: Ancestry Search

  1. #1
    Knowledgeable and helpful warncoort's Avatar
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    Default Ancestry Search

    Folks,
    Since 2015 i have worked on a one place study for the parish of Yaxley,Huntingdonshire and using a CD of PR's i have traced some five thousand people who were born,married or died there,along with Ancestry records.The problem is that i have no family stories with which to gain insight so with each person added,i search for an Ancestry tree to give me a lead.
    On Monday i added TOM HARRY FULLER and carried out usual search which confirmed his first marriage and census entries,however 1939 register had a new wife who i was not able to trace.Next check was for trees using only the basics.
    Tom Harry Fuller set to exact
    Born about 1872
    Pob Woodston,Huntingdonshire set to broad search.
    1309 results were displayed,2 had the name correct the remaining 1307 had a mixture of given names and surnames or females who had no connection.I emailed Ancestry,with a link to the search result, asking why so many results were shown that did not match my criteria EXACTLY to which they responded.

    We have many different search options for the site but having a search tool for billions of records is no easy feat. We're very sorry that the tool hasn't been working for you and we're happy to try resolve this for you. I will attach some articles on our search features that should assist you:

    How to Search Ancestry®
    Searching with Wild Cards
    Getting Started, Lesson 5: Search Tips


    I was struck by the total lack of care from the consultant so today i phoned hoping to speak to a supervisor.Young lady said no,i will try and sort out the problem and told me Ancestry could not access the link i had given.I pointed out that i want them to incorporate exact in search to match the dictionary definition.As she was unable to replicate my search from Monday she could not refer it to Tech heads.Asked now for supervisor with pretty much same result but that it would be passed on as feedback.
    I am accustomed to using Ancestry but their total disregard for paying customers has made me want to scream.
    Eric

  2. #2
    Loves to help with queries
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    So I'm not the only one! I've experienced similar frustrations, particularly when I search 'exact' for Ireland.

  3. #3
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    I always thought I was doing something wrong.I've lost track of the number of times I've put Liverpool, Lancashire, England and click on 'Exact to this place' only to get results from Germany, or France, or somewhere else in Europe.

    Anc has a lot of useful information but is not very user friendly at all.

    Emeltee

  4. #4
    Famous for offering help & advice
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    I've just tried Tom Harry Fuller (exact) born 1872 +/- 10 years, place of birth left blank - and only got 2 results (not including your tree).

    but perhaps I'm missing the point

  5. #5
    Knowledgeable and helpful warncoort's Avatar
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    I needed to vent after having spent 37 minutes on the phone with Ancestry.Their lack of empathy concerned me in that i am a long time paying member with a fair knowledge of genealogy and they treated me as recent "blow in".
    What is the level of customer service on other subscription sites like?

  6. #6
    Brick wall demolition expert!
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    FMP are no better.

    https://www.british-genealogy.com/th...634-search-tip

    Frankly after I spoke to them to be told that the descrepancy in numbers is due to transcriptions errors ought to scare them, and the person I spoke to said it wasn't their responsibility but some technical team, so I know that they are not making any moves to sort it out.

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