What is better find my past or ancestry?

[Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain]

Did free search of FMP. Got subscription with ancestry. Is FMP good and if so what for?

This is just my personal experience. I have subscriptions to both Ancestry and FindMyPast

I think that Ancestry is the best site to start with. If I had to choose between them, then I’d probably go for Ancestry and use FindMyPast (FMP) at the library as needed to supplement it.

When I've had trouble tracing a relative on Ancestry I've found that FMP has been an invaluable resource in finding their details. Also, the fact that FMP includes access to newspapers has made a real difference.

But, having said that, Ancestry and FMP do have their different strengths in different parts of the country.

Most of my ancestors come from Gloucestershire and the surrounding counties. Ancestry is great for that area and FMP is just average.

In contrast, I do have one branch of my family that comes from Cambridgeshire and Ancestry is really not very good at all there. But this is an area where FMP really does shine.

So it really does depend on what part of the country your ancestors come from.

I've also found a number of areas where Ancestry are simply missing parts of different censuses, but they are available on FMP.

For example, Ancestry is totally missing parts of the 1861 and 1871 Censuses for various parts of Gloucester that are available on FindMyPast.

In 1861, some relatives of mine were living at the Collier's Arms in an area called "The Island" in Gloucester and in 1871 others were living behind the Royal Oak, on the same street. Others were recorded living on St Mary's Square.

The 1861 and 1871 Censuses for that part of Gloucester are available on FMP but not on Ancestry. Ancestry simply don't have them for some reason.

There are also similar examples that I am aware of with the 1851 Census in Highnam, and the 1891 Census in Redmarley D'Abitot being available on FMP but not on Ancestry.

These are just some small areas that I have looked at and found Ancestry lacking the census records. I am sure that these will not be the only missing censuses - I can't believe that I came across the only missing ones.

I have also found a lot of records relating to convicts being transported to Australia and also World War One service records (and some World War Two records as well) that are on FMP but not Ancestry.

So, overall, I would say start with Ancestry but if you have trouble locating records on Ancestry then FMP will usually be the place to look.

I started with FMP because I wanted the local newspapers, which I have found enormously useful and interesting. I now also have an Ancestry subscription but have so far only found one relevant set of records that FMP doesn't have.

If there are transcription/indexing errors in census returns on one site, you can sometimes find the person on the other, but Ancestry hasn't (so far) found the family members who I haven't been able to trace on FMP. Was just thinking this morning about whether I want to continue with Ancestry.

I find FMP more user friendly, but I suppose it's what I'm used to. A friend who started with Ancestry finds it easier to use.

If it matters to you, FMP is British owned - D C Thomson, the Dundee company that publishes Beano, Dandy etc.

Ah great thanks both!

Don't lose sight of FreeBMD, GenesReunited and the LDS website called Familysearch.org. If your local library or county records office still has microfiche, then use that too, and they often have free access to genealogy sites.

Somebody on GenesReunited who was doing a one-name study told me about two uncles I didn't know I had.

I was once using the microfiche machine at the library, looking for missing ancestors, and as I put the thing in the machine, by complete chance it landed on a page icluding my ancestor, whose surname had been mistranscribed. I'd never have found her otherwise. Like 'Cable' instead of 'Keeble'.

It is worth trying every source you can get your hands on.

I've used both over the years but I now just stick with findmypast. I can't remember why I did that originally but once you choose one, I guess most people would find that the easier one to use. There used to be another site, free, which was fantastic with census information, ie, when you looked up a person in one census, it automatically showed you where they were in every other census. I have forgotten/ can't find that site anymore. Not sure if anyone knows the one I am talking about? Findmypast sometimes links you to other records concerning whichever individual you are researching but, frankly, often shows you the wrong person too.

I agree it can depend on which area your ancestors lived in. I have found findmypast is fabulous for Devon but not so great for Cornwall and quite hopeless for Dorset.

Another possible resource is find a grave. It depends on area and individual graveyards/ cemeteries but I have found it very good for branches of the family who emigrated to Canada/Australia.

If you have ancestors in Lancashire, the Lancashire online church records are brilliant. It's a big area where there was a lot of population movement as well during the industrial revolution.

Lancashire OnLine Parish Clerk Project - https://share.google/wVw3IZI0fa80FASY3

Findmypast sometimes links you to other records concerning whichever individual you are researching but, frankly, often shows you the wrong person too.

So does Ancestry. You have to do your due diligence to make sure you only accept the right people or information.

When they show you other trees your ancestor is on, on both sites, so often the people who compiled those trees have just added every suggested person, or clicked on the wrong thing in a list of suggestions, and it's all total nonsense.

@HelenaWilson Absolutely, it's no good relying on other people's uploaded trees, is it? Just because it is on the internet it doesn't mean it's true. One mistake in their research can send you barking up the wrong tree entirely.

100% agree.

Number One rule of Genealogy: take absolutely no notice of anyone else's research whatsoever!

I’m lucky with my grandad he has an unusual name. And where he lived. So there’s not two of him.

That’s interesting. We have great grandfather originating from Strawberry Hill in Somerset.

Thanks for the tips.