Anybody used Ancestry.com?

[David1961]

Wondering if anyone here has used Ancestry.com and if so, what your experiences were.

 

[savory]

A cousin using Genie for a few years. I review her efforts from time to time. I think she likes it

 

[Zona]

DH and I used it quite a bit the past two years, along with a couple of other sites. His primary motivation was because we were planning a long-ish trip to Scandinavia last year and he was interested in seeing some of the addresses where his great (and great-great) grandparents had lived before emigrating.

Little did we know, but he still has living relatives there. They contacted us through another site (heritage.com, I think) and we actually met them while on our trip. It was wonderful -- we got to meet three generations of cousins he didn't even know he had!they were so welcoming and happy to show us their country and culture. In fact, several new-found relatives are coming next year to visit, and we skype pretty regularly. We will likely go back to Scandinavia for a visit in 2019.

On the technical side, I should add that ancestry is very easy to use, but note that there's a feature where it suggest matches to other trees. Some of the other users aren't very diligent, so we found ourselves following the wrong thread a number of times before we realized that the proposed "matches" were sometimes showing us trees that we couldn't possibly belong to where the person had chosen our relative's record for their tree just by name alone. It is kind of thrilling/rewarding when you finally find the record you've been searching for. Certainly a hobby I plan to pursue more once I finally retire!

 

[Johanson]

I do and I was able to figure out how my Dad's Uncle George was related to my Great Grandfather. It turns out, my Dad's Uncle George was actually the grand nephew of my Great Grandfather. I also discovered that my Grandfather's mother was not the one that everyone thought she was. My Great Grandmother had died at the age of 26 and he later remarried. Actually, I discovered a ton of information about my ancestors including that my Dad's mother was a descendant of the Ellingboe family and that my dad grew up next to an Ellingboe and they didn't know they were related. They trace their ancestry back to the 1100's. ELLINGBOE FAMILY HISTORY AND GENEALOGY

I've also used DNA testing to find out that I'm 98% Scandinavian, <1% Irish, and <1% Western European.

 

[gerntz]

On it every day. Traced some ancestors back to mid-1400's. Yes, some trees are more guesses than anything, but it's your responsibility to determine what's right. Try to document everything, but can't do it for all. Why am I so interested? Who knows other than I enjoy history a lot.

 

[Souschef]

My DW got me the DNA package, so i spit in the tube and sent it back. About a month later, I got the results.
93% was what I expected, Eastern European, but I found out I was 2% Irish!!!

 

[Sunset]

Those Irish certainly get around...

 

[ABQ2015]

I joined Ancestry.com about 10 years and started by researching my maternal grandmother's line as it was an unusual name. I mostly went through the census records and was able to go back to the 1790 census. In the process, I found that this surname had their own forum with all sorts of family records and discussions between "cousins." They had researched back to about 1740 but then hit a wall and could not determine when our ancestor had arrived from Europe or their country of origin. They also did DNA testing but were unable to find any Europeans with similar DNA results with that surname. For me, the research became too time consuming with work so I am putting it on hold until retirement and have not been on Ancestry.com for 6 years.

I thought Ancestry.com was a good way to get started and a convenient way to view the census records and some other records. Also you can start a family tree and view family trees of others. But I also found lots of good info by just googling or in other genealogy websites. On my Danish side, I have found databases that seem to go back very far and indicate the city or town where they lived although I don't remember there being a street address. I would love to meet up with some of these cousins the way Zona described.

 

[Nemo2]

I don't know if it was Ancestry or a similar site, but DW's sister signed up a few years back, and the set-up allowed access to 'guests'.

Started off with the little info I had, until my sole remaining blood relative, a cousin ten years younger, who has lived her entire life in the same town in Kent, England, where she was born, (and therefore has been privy to lifetimes of family 'secrets'), said "Well you did know that our grandfather was left on the church steps, didn't you?"

Next!

(Along the same lines, it used to be said that, in Australia, an 'aristocrat' is someone who can trace his ancestry back to his father.)

 

[braumeister]

(Along the same lines, it used to be said that, in Australia, an 'aristocrat' is someone who can trace his ancestry back to his father.)

Great line!

I've used Ancestry for a number of years and learned quite a lot. Their databases are superb, and I have a very good record going back over 200 years. Nothing exotic, just Germany on one side and Ireland on the other. All my ancestors were peasants, so nothing terribly interesting apart from the curiosity value.

I've also used the 23andme DNA testing, and found several previously unknown cousins, including a first cousin, through that.

It's a fun hobby, but you not only have to be careful about suggestions from other people's efforts, but also from official records. There are plenty of mistakes in old handwritten registers, and plenty of mistakes made by people transcribing them to put them online. Still, it can be fun if you like history.

 

[Nemo2]

There are plenty of mistakes in old handwritten registers, and plenty of mistakes made by people transcribing them to put them online. Still, it can be fun if you like history.

I knew little or nothing about my father's family; his parents were dead before I was born, and I never even knew their names.

Left home at 17; have often remarked that I never had "an adult conversation" with either of my parents, (of course there are many who say that, to this day, I've never had an adult conversation with anybody), and it wasn't until the mid 1990s, when my late wife & I (living in the BC Gulf Islands), were visited by one of my father's brothers' widows, (who was visiting friends in Anacortes, WA, and came over on the ferry), that I really had the slightest insight into his background.

Perhaps, one day, for amusement, I'll take the DNA test.

 

[UnrealizedPotential]

Wondering if anyone here has used Ancestry.com and if so, what your experiences were.

The best thing to do is go to your nearest Family history center. Ancestry.com is free to use there. Ancestry.com is awesome. At the FHC there is always an experienced researcher to help you look up census records or any other records they might have.

 

[FiveDriver]

My cousin did research and was able to trace our Paternal Grandfather's side all the way back to 1655. The clan lived in the same little town in the Avellino province around Naples for centuries, until Grandfather and his brother came over around 1902. Cousin had a copy of the ship's manifest that showed the passenger list and the destination.....Cool.

I would like to trace my Mother's side next. She was born in Scotland and did not come over here until after WWII. She never spoke too much about her town (Dumbartonshire, on the banks of the River Clyde), but when she did talk about it.....she said the war years were tough.

 

[Zona]

On my Danish side, I have found databases that seem to go back very far and indicate the city or town where they lived although I don't remember there being a street address.

Churches in the Scandinavian countries used to do household examinations, listing every family member and every movement in and out of a parish, so the records are excellent, aren't they? We had to learn to read a little Danish, Swedish, etc to figure them out, but they were very helpful. Not all of the records had addresses, especially when relatives lived in the countryside. But records within Copenhagen and Stockholm had addresses, I think. The archives in Copenhagen allow foreigners to get temporary access cards and use their facilities, which are excellent and staffed with helpful people.

Funny story -- many of the buildings we were looking for are long gone. In Copenhagen we went to one address only to find that the small building had been torn down & replaced by a massive store. A week later, we were in the Danish national museum. They had a section showing how each segment of the population lived, with furniture and pieces of buildings (walls, staircases, interior decor arranged as it would have been at the time). Sure enough, when we got to the section showing how the lowest classes lived -- there was an example taken directly from the exact building we'd been looking for the week before. A small explanation on the wall said that the building had been torn down but they preserved one apartment as a snapshot of history. That side of DH's family came from humble beginnings and I could see why they would move to the new world in search of better opportunities.

 

[Blue Collar Guy]

The best thing to do is go to your nearest Family history center. Ancestry.com is free to use there. Ancestry.com is awesome. At the FHC there is always an experienced researcher to help you look up census records or any other records they might have.

Wow, i never knew of such a thing. Thanks a ton.

 

[kcowan]

My cousin traced our family tree on my father's side back 4 generations, all Mason's named John in Glasgow. On Mom's side, they had escaped London when her rich German father was killed in the war, and his parents came after the 3 kids. Changed their names fromShaefer to Slate. But no luck with ancestry because they did not share any details of him.

 

[Blue Collar Guy]

I just read an article about 3 identical triplets(http://www.ninjajournalist.com/ente....com/abfea80d-37ac-44e6-9338-6d85889c08e4.jpg). Their results were off as to heritage, the article concluded it should be used for entertainment purposes. Id like to further add my own observations. Once you submit a DNA sample to these places, with a court order the authorities can get it. Im sure everyone in here is squeaky clean, , but if your 2nd cousin is doing stick ups and he left some DNA, "they" can come visit you and want to get some information(http://www.ancestry.com/cs/legal/lawenforcement). Im just putting it out there.

 

[Amethyst]

Is that sponsored by the LDS church? If so, can "gentiles" use it? I've used their free Family Search site for years - a wonderful public service.

The best thing to do is go to your nearest Family history center. Ancestry.com is free to use there. Ancestry.com is awesome. At the FHC there is always an experienced researcher to help you look up census records or any other records they might have.

 

[tfudtuckerpucker]

Yep

Family History Centers

 

[misanman]

It's also available free for use at our local public library. Not sure how widespread this is but it would be worth checking.

 

[Amethyst]

Looks like the closest one to me is an 80-mile round trip. I'll pass, but thanks for the tip.

Yep

Family History Centers

 

[UnrealizedPotential]

Is that sponsored by the LDS church? If so, can "gentiles" use it? I've used their free Family Search site for years - a wonderful public service.

Yes, the LDS church runs the Family history centers. You do not need to be LDS to use their records and facility for free. Once you are in the building, you will need to write your name on a registry. You will be asked your first and last name, the date, and what stake or ward you are from with the LDS church and what records you wish to use. All you have to do is put "visitor" in that spot if you are not LDS and mark that you want to use a computer.

 

[target2019]

Wondering if anyone here has used Ancestry.com and if so, what your experiences were.

I've been researching on and off since my first job MANY years ago. Around 1976, many US citizens became interested. I started with a hand-drawn tree, and later used MacDraw to enter it into a computer. Every ten years or so something would trigger another foray into genealogy. Chance encounters with other family members (who found me) produced a lot of data and history.

The latest adventure started last year when a cousin contacted me. Never met her, except maybe as a very young child at my grandparents house. As a result, I converted over my older FTW database to GRAMPS (open source), so I'd have access to local storage and tools for analyzing. I am not beholden to any online service.

At 2016 holidays, spouse and I mailed off two Autosomal DNA kits, and waited patiently. Basically, decided to start on the path described here:

2015: Most bang for the DNA buck | The Legal Genealogist

The tests were on sale. The results took FOREVER, and were finally available mid-April 2017. Created an account and saw a long list of 3rd and 4th cousin matches. These are people I never met, and do not readily see the relationship. There is also a world map on which you'll see genetic history. My spouse has a significant amount of US and European "bubbles". OTH, I have much more European background.

Ancestry does not give you access to their search records until you cough up more dollars. Got six months access for around $100. It is costly, in my opinion. Many records come from FAMILYSEARCH, already mentioned. I had been using FS for 10 years, I think. So will go back to that exclusively, unless Ancestry lowers the cost.

Per the article, download your results. It's a large text file, and you can upload the file elsewhere. Here's an example:

rsid chromosome position allele1 allele2
rs369332065 1 577788 G G
rs192276136 1 567770 T T
rs190214723 1 677725 T T
rs3132272 1 758881 G G
rs12442034 1 769908 A G
rs115903905 1 783453 T G
rs6624049 1 801237 C C
rs28711699 1 831234 A A

FTDNA and GEDmatch are places I've uploaded results. FTDNA (cost about $20 to get access to additional features) has interesting tools, like a chromosome browser, where you can select 5 matches and graphically view where they match on your 22 + 1 pairs. GEDmatch has many features too, and it is free. See Admixture example below.

FTDNA and GEDmatch give you access to email addresses, which is more useful than Ancestry messaging system, IMO.

The test results are one of several records you need to corroborate what you think you know about ancestors and what others are telling you. The user trees on all sites are error prone. Two people may enter different birth dates, etc. You must find records and look at them to confirm your suspicions.

Another problem is that many surnames are written in several different ways in records. You end up with a large puzzle, and the pieces seem to have changing shape. Still, if you persist, you'll find it very interesting to sit and think about what it must have been like for those who came before. My F-I-L family had large amount of history wiped out by pogroms and holocaust. M-I-L, however, has over three hundred years of history in the US.

Next up will be yDNA testing at FTDNA. That will yield more significant paternal results, I hope.

 

[target2019]

Looks like the closest one to me is an 80-mile round trip. I'll pass, but thanks for the tip.

You can search for free from the comfort of your home. What is missing sometimes is the an image record upon which results are based. Sometimes, but not always.

What happens is this. Records are scanned, and then a team of individuals looks at the character recognition to determine if it should be changed. The text is readily available to you at familysearch.org.

What comes into question is what the individual (often an immigrant) said, how the census taker heard it, what they wrote, how it went through OCR, and what corrections have been made. For example, there are 6 census records I have for GM's parents home. Problem was that there were 5 different spelling of last name! It took a bit of searching to find the actual records, since the spellings were off. At ancestry.com I found the image records (came from familysearch) and saved those.

So, you can find the record information for whatever you search, and later make a trip to FHC family history center and get the images. My local person allowed me to save the files to USB. Or they will print for you.

 

[Amethyst]

I get it. For example, FS transcribed my grandmother's name as "Bette" when in fact it was Belle.

They keep adding new things to FS all the time, as records get released to the public. I found Mr. A.'s father's Selective Service application, that showed he was born 3 years earlier than we had thought (he applied promptly after his 18th birthday). That was a real image, not a transcription - we were able to see that Mr. A.'s Dad's signature was almost exactly like Mr. A.'s (same name).

Also I learned, on FS, that my own Dad had two uncles he never knew about - I found their death records, signed by my great-grandmother. Poor woman had 4 kids, and outlived 3 of them; no wonder Dad remembered his grandmother as such an unhappy person.

These seem trivial things - I never knew any of these people - but I love the stories I can imagine, based on these bits and pieces of real written history.

What comes into question is what the individual (often an immigrant) said, how the census taker heard it, what they wrote, how it went through OCR, and what corrections have been made. For example, there are 6 census records I have for GM's parents home. Problem was that there were 5 different spelling of last name! It took a bit of searching to find the actual records, since the spellings were off. At ancestry.com I found the image records (came from familysearch) and saved those.

So, you can find the record information for whatever you search, and later make a trip to FHC family history center and get the images. My local person allowed me to save the files to USB. Or they will print for you.