Genealogy mistakes to avoid #5 - Not keeping a research log

This is one I think we will all be guilty of. We’re hunting down an ancestor, looking here, there and everywhere. We search newspapers on Findmypast then head to ScotlandsPeople and Ancestry making all sorts of searches; then we have to stop. We’re right in the middle of our research and we have to put the dinner on or go to bed! When we come back to our research we can’t remember what we’ve searched already and end up doing it all again. 

I like to keep a simple research log. It doesn’t have to be complicated. You could write it in a notebook, use a spreadsheet or make a simple Google Doc. An electronic note is useful as you can paste the URLs of entries.

For example, let’s say I am searching the Kirk Session records on ScotlandsPeople. I may come across an entry which could be relevant but I’m not sure. I copy and paste the reference above the entry and put this in a Google Doc, then I copy the URL. The URL is the text in the address bar at the top of the page that will start https://www.scot…. Copy and paste the whole thing, even if it’s really long. I then make a quick note like “could be X, Y or Z person but not sure”. 

I will also record what I have searched and by which terms. For example, if I am searching newspapers on Findmypast I will record who I have searched for and by which spellings. I do this even if the search didn’t result in any interesting finds! I may also make notes of things I should search for next time.

This means if I have to break off halfway through my research I can pick up where I left off next time. 

Genealogy mistakes to avoid #3 - Not looking at a map

When we’re hunting for our family they can move from place to place. In fact, agricultural labourers may have moved every 6 months. It may not be too surprising that we find our ancestors have moved but where have they moved to? Does it make sense?

We might try to match up a family from Huntly, Aberdeenshire, Scotland with a family in Campbeltown, Argyll, Scotland. If you are not familiar with Scottish geography this may seem OK, but checking the map will show you the great distances involved and reveal that it would not be an easy journey. Nothing is impossible, but make sure you are connecting the right families. For example, if you have your family in Huntly in 1861 then you think you have them in Campbeltown in 1871 check the 1861 census of Campbeltown. If you find the family there in 1861 it can’t be ‘your’ family.

The opposite is also true. A map could show you that places are very close together. Let’s say you have a family in the 1840 census living in Weem Parish but you find the baptisms in the Parish of Killin. As this is a different parish and seemingly a good distance away, it could seem like the ‘wrong family. Looking at a map showing where the family were living and where the church is would show you that the children were baptised at the closest church even though it was in a different parish. 

For old maps check out the National Library of Scotland. They have a great collection and they are all free to access. 

Genealogy mistakes to avoid #1 - Don’t assume anything.

Let’s say you find your family in the census, a husband, wife and three children. From 1851 in Scotland you will be told how each person relates to the head of the house; usually the husband. Therefore you will be told that the woman is the wife of the head and the children are his children; that’s right, his children. It would be easy to assume that all the children are biological children of both the husband and the wife but the census will not tell us if that’s the case or not. Of course, they often will be, but keep digging and find documents to support this. 

Of course, in the 1841 census, we are not told any relationships at all so we need to be even more careful. Assumptions though can be made when looking at other records too. When you are researching, ask yourself:

How do I know that?

Have I made an assumption or do I have evidence to support my research?

It’s OK to have a theory but don’t rest until you have the evidence. This is the first in a series of genealogy mistakes to avoid. More will be coming soon!

Have you made any mistakes? If so let me know and we may feature it in our #GenealogyMistakes series to help other researchers avoid the same pitfall. Don’t worry, we won’t name and shame you!