Friday, March 07, 2008

FamilySearch indexing:help

FamilySearch indexing: Sometimes it's difficult to tell what is a sign of repetition (ditto mark): "Problem

What constitutes a sign of repetition?
Resolution

When ditto marks or other similar signs of repetition appear on census records or ledger documents, type the actual information that is being dittoed, rather than the mark itself. Signs of repetition may include:

1.
A “· ·” (ditto mark).

2.
The word 'ditto'

3.
The letters 'do'

4.
A straight line (in a ledger document like a census). Realize that a straight line is not always a ditto:
Surnames. A straight line is often a ditto in the surname field of census records.
Place-names. A straight line might be a ditto, but you will need to see how the enumerator wrote place-names throughout the document to determine this.

5.
A blank field between record entries for a family group (in a ledger document like a census).
Sometimes the census enumerator did not repeat the surname or the birthplace for each family member. Interpret a blank field as a ditto mark only when the original document clearly groups families together.

6.
In the Mexico census, the enumerator sometimes wrote out the father's surname and then for the mother and children's surname wrote only the first letter of the surname with a period:
Juan Carlos Romero
Maria R.
Jose R.
In this example, you would treat the repetition as a ditto mark and extract the father's surname for the wife and children:
Juan Carlos Romero
Maria Romero
Jose Romero

a good idea to volunteer and learn more about genealogy too
FamilySearch Indexing: Preserving Our Heritage

FamilySearch and partnering societies provide a variety of projects to index, each with unique guidelines and rules. Read about what is being indexed now, and see what is coming in the future.

When the information indexed by volunteers is ready for publication, it will be made available FREE OF CHARGE through familysearch.org. Some of these indexes will be posted by our partnering societies. Come and enjoy helping us build these valuable genealogical resources by becoming a volunteer now

these will transform irish genealogy for example:-

and coming soon
  • Irish Birth Indexes 1922-1942
  • Irish Death Indexes 1922-1944
  • Irish Death Indexes 1945-1958
and I am waiting for parish registers from Wales

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