Genealogy Chat

Back in November last year I posted a thread on here regarding transcription errors and mentioned that I had contacted Ancestry regarding two I had spotted. At the time I was not sure how long they would take to make any alterations (or even if!). Today I was absolutley thrilled to see that my husband's GG Grandfather is now recorded under his 'wrong' name and his correct name, the alteration is marked clearly and my name appears as the person who alterted them to the error. Success! - come on everyone join in the quest, lets get those records straight............ I know, I know, it doesn't take much to make me happy. Still thrilled, Yvonne

I asked them to correct my Grandmother back in October and they still haven't done it. Humph!!!!! Joy

I always correct Ancestry errors where I find them, I just wish we could also correct errors in other categories, such as place of birth. When 1901 was only available on the govt site I also corrected the mistakes there - I think at least 95% of the relatives I managed to find were wrongly recorded in some way. nell

Sorry Joy, what I did not say was that I alerted them back in April of 2005, I only posted the thread on here in November......so be patient.

mine took 9 months but they did alter it eventually, so it is worth it for the sake of other researchers if nothing else

I must be lucky, all mine appear within weeks of my reporting them. Does show that they take it all on board. If everyone did it every time there would be thousands of corrections every year.

Mine have been corrected very promptly. They are happy to correct mistranscriptions but cannot alter information which appears on an original census record even if you know it to be wrong. Daisy

I sent them a few corrections today. On one census they had my Isaih down as Sarah - the image clearly says Iaiah how the heck did they get that one wrong? I know uncle Sai is listed with the family inc mum Sarah but it beggers beleife. Also sent some alternative names as Elizabeth was listed as Lizzie and William J as W James.

I sent them a correction great grandfather William Harvey clearly written listed as being the mother of the head of the household.

What I want to know is why, if they can correct name information why can they not accept & correct geographical errors. I notified them last year that in 1861 they had HMS Britania berthed in Portsmouth Harbour, Northamptonshire. I told them that Northamptonshire is landlocked & that Portsmouth is in Hampshire but they just emailed me back telling me they were right & I was wrong. Vivienne

Oh dear, I have to apologise to Ancestry. Obviously after telling me I was wrong they had a look & realised I wasn't. I just looked again & found they have corrected the entry. Vivienne