US Census Records at MyHeritage

[RichardJB]

Hello,
I am trying to take advantage of MyHeritage's free access to their US Census records while the 2020 census is taking place. Searching in the 1870 census I have found 3 instances where the image linked to a search result is the wrong one (I searched for exact hits on the surname Roskelly if anyone wishes to replicate the search. It brings up an easily number of hits). Has anyone come across a similar problem and found a way around it? Also is there any route for reporting this issue other than 'phoning their helpline? The "Report an Error" link on individual hits doesn't fill one with great confidence.
Thanks,
Richard

 

[RichardJB]

I thought I'd try the telephone helpline. It's for paying customers only (which makes sense) and I'm a skinflint as my original post shows. Still, I think it would be helpful to MyHeritage if I could easily inform them of this problem.

 

[RichardJB]

Ooops! My mistake. I rather jumped the gun. It's all down to how MyHeritage has transcribed the information. Relationships are shown on some transcriptions but not all. I had assumed the latter and not been rigorous in my inspection of the finer detail of each image (saving that for when I add the detail to my database). Mea culpa.

 

[Helen7]

I always use familysearch.org when searching US census records and find it easy to use (and always free). A search for exact hits on surname Roskelly in the 1870 census produces 18 hits (2 families in Utah, 1 family in Missouri and a singleton in New Jersey) and the images all look correct. The relationships aren't shown in the transcription when they aren't shown on the original census. Is the MyHeritage search superior to the familysearch offering?

 

[At home in NZ]

Roskelly

Using the 1870 United States Federal Census in Ancestry there are 23 results for the last name of Roskelly. I examined the questions, they are: age, sex and colour. There isn't a question about relationship to Head.
The 1880 United States Federal Census includes the question about relationship to head.

 

[peter]

I always use familysearch.org when searching US census records and find it easy to use (and always free)

US censuses are also always free at Findmypast.

 

[Helen7]

US censuses are also always free at Findmypast.

Can you see the full results (including images) at Findmypast even if you don't have a paid subscription? I can't tell now as I have a Pro sub. My recollection was that I couldn't see them when I didn't have a sub (hence my use of familysearch.org for these) but I may have remembered wrongly.

Also, if the US censuses are all available at FMP, why isn't there a 'check' button for the 1880 and 1940 US censuses in the My Ancestors list on LostCousins? Apologies if this has been answered before!

 

[Helen7]

Using the 1870 United States Federal Census in Ancestry there are 23 results for the last name of Roskelly.

Both Findmypast and familysearch only show 18 results. I see the Ancestry search shows 5 extra people - 3 in Pennsylvania and two in Ohio. I wonder why these don't show up on the other sites? I can't check the details on Ancestry as I don't have a World subscription.

 

[peter]

Both Findmypast and familysearch only show 18 results. I see the Ancestry search shows 5 extra people - 3 in Pennsylvania and two in Ohio. I wonder why these don't show up on the other sites? I can't check the details on Ancestry as I don't have a World subscription.

It's probably because users have added alternative names.

 

[RichardJB]

I always use familysearch.org when searching US census records and find it easy to use (and always free).

Why do I keep overlooking FamilySearch? I ought to know better by now.

 

[peter]

Why do I keep overlooking FamilySearch? I ought to know better by now.

All sites have pros and cons. The fact that a site is free doesn't make it the best site to use - FamilySearch is very good for some things, not so good for others.

 

[RichardJB]

an you see the full results (including images) at Findmypast even if you don't have a paid subscription? I can't tell now as I have a Pro sub. My recollection was that I couldn't see them when I didn't have a sub (hence my use of familysearch.org for these)

I have a Plus subscription and ran a quick test on the 1880 census to see if I could see full results and images. I couldn't so I guess only a Pro sub works.

 

[peter]

I have a Plus subscription and ran a quick test on the 1880 census to see if I could see full results and images. I couldn't so I guess only a Pro sub works.

I may have misunderstood the announcement that Findmypast made - it was some years ago.

 

[At home in NZ]

It's probably because users have added alternative names.

It isn't, it is because there is more than one person from a household in the list.

examples, top of the list is
Name Inferred Parents or Spouse Home in 1870 (City, County, State) Birth Year Birth Place
Lizzie Roskelly John St Louis Ward 8, St Louis, Missouri abt 1847 Missouri

and further down the page is her husband:
John Roskelly Lizzie St Louis Ward 8, St Louis, Missouri abt 1845 Missouri

 

[Heather]

As Helen says there are 23 Roskelly results on Ancestry, why only 18 on Find my Past, that's another question. There seems to be a family headed by Samuel & Rebecca with what I presume (there being no relationships shown) are their 8 children, the next entry to them is Mary R and her 2 children, John H seems to be with a work gang, then there is John & Lizzie and their 2 children. So that's the 18 on Findmypast. Extra on Ancestry are Thomas, Mary and 1 child and Mary 66 yrs and Mary 23yrs, which are the extra 5 persons.
As to the "missing entries on Findmypast" Thomas, Mary and child are transcribed as Roskiely. The two Marys are transcribed as Roskulf. I hope this helps.

 

[Helen7]

As to the "missing entries on Findmypast" Thomas, Mary and child are transcribed as Roskiely. The two Marys are transcribed as Roskulf. I hope this helps.

Yes, that certainly explains it, thanks.