Possible Errors in Geneology Records

Almost all geneological records can have mistakes and errors in them.  Such as incorrect information, and translation mistakes which can lead a researcher down the wrong path and waste a lot of time and effort.

Birth Certificates, Marriage Certificates, and Death Certificates:

Even a copy of an important geneology record can have mistakes. You should check carefully to see if they have been scanned or Xeroxed, and also check to see if the mistakes are in the translation of the documents.

Census Geneology Records:

Censuses are helpful when doing genealogical research, will they are often now very clear with the information because of misspelled names, incorrect age, and wrong place of birth. So they do need to be rigorously checked.

Microfilm Geneology Records:

Most of the records are put onto microfilm or microfiche: parish registers, passenger lists, wills, etc. These are frequently direct replicates of the original register, but be sure to check the dates carefully. 

Diaries, Journals and Letters:

These give valuable, first-hand information about an individual’s life, but be cautious with information given about other people in the diary.

Historic Newspapers:

Newspaper articles may seem accurate, but they can have erroneous information that has been given to the to the writer of the article plus written text errors. Obituaries are also notorious for giving errors. It is probably best to only use newspaper accounts to find original sources.  You could also also get Mormon Geneology Records in a newspaper on the web.

Magazines:

Articles in family history magazines have normally been well edited and are also well-documented. However, they do need to be checked for the usual transcription mistakes. Articles in all dairy magazines are often un-sourced and should only be used for getting help only.

Published Family Histories:

Family history books cover a person’s life from birth to death and may be exceptionally accurate. However, with the popularity of desktop publishing, some could be very poorly written, badly edited, and inaccurate.  So try a validated these by talking to existing family members.

State and County Records:

Genealogy records on families and individuals are often published in state and country records. So these are areas worth checking when doing your research.

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