Ten Ways to Supercharge Family History on the Internet

Transcription

1 Ten Ways to Supercharge Family History on the Internet

2 Search engine overlap

3 Can you find it? Not finding what you are looking for?

4 Can you find it? Open another window, and try another search engine.

5 Rule of thumb Haven t found what you are looking for in 15 minutes?

6 Rule of thumb Time to look somewhere else or rethink your search strategy

7 What s the point? It s ok to use more than one search engine

8 Three page rule Never look at more than the first 3 pages of hits 2 1 3

9 How to write better search queries

10 Use more specific search terms Who? Why? What? When? Where?

11 Before you start your internet search Write down the question you re seeking to answer Idea 1 Question Did Maxey Ewell live in Goochland County, Virginia in 1750?

12 Before you start your internet search Select two or three most meaningful words from your question to start your search Tip 1 Question Did Maxey Ewell live in Goochland County, Virginia in 1750? Key Words: Maxey Ewell Goochland County, Virginia 1750

13 Before you start your internet search Identify broader terms, narrower terms and synonyms Tip 2 Question Did Maxey Ewell live in Goochland County, Virginia in 1750? Key Words: Huguenots Scots Irish Scotch Irish Virginia County Progression

14 Before you start your internet search Try different keywords or controlled vocabulary words if the first keywords give unsatisfactory results Tip 3 Question Did Maxey Ewell live in Goochland County, Virginia in 1750? Key Words: Goochland historical society Goochland county history Goochland library

15 Before you start your internet search Write a sentence that describes your research topic Idea 2 Research Topic Follow the Reinhardt Wagner family of Otis, Kansas in the state and federal census from 1900 to Key Words: Reinhardt Wagner Otis, Kansas State Census Federal Census 1900 to 1930

16 Things to know about Google searches Be brief Google limits your query to 32 words maximum For best results, use a few very precise words

17 Things to know about Google searches Google is not case-sensitive regarding the parameters of your search A search on the uppercase SMITH will generate the same 40 million results as a search on the lowercase smith

18 AND A B Boolean operators OR A B NOT A B

19 Boolean Operators Define the relationships between words or groups of words AND A B Used to broaden or narrow a search OR A B Boolean operators used to qualify search parameters NOT A B

20 Boolean AND A B operator AND +

21 Operator: AND, + AND, + narrows search and retrieves records containing both of the terms If you are searching for Michigan and census Returns with pages containing both Michigan and Census AND, + A B AND gives both

22 Operator: AND, + Most search engines interpret the space between the words as AND Query variation (Word) (Word) (Word) AND (Word) Force Google to search for a particular term, put a + sign operator in front of the word in the query Query variation (Word) + (Word) (Word) +(Word)

23 Operator: AND, + Force Google to include a term by preceding the term with a + sign Query Louis +I France Returns information about Louis the First (I), weeding out other kings of France. Note that you should not put a space between the + and the word Query +Kathi Returns Kathi and not Cathi, cathi or Kathy.

24 Operator: AND, + Put a + sign in front of LA Query central +LA California Google excludes common words in English and in other languages, such as la (which means the in Spanish) and de (which means of in French, Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese)

25 Use and to get AND A B fewer results

26 Use and to get fewer results johnson family 51 Million Use and to get fewer results

27 Use and to get fewer results johnson family genealogy 51 Million 13 Million

28 Use and to get fewer results virginia johnson family genealogy 51 Million 1 Million 13 Million

29 Use and to get fewer results richmond virginia johnson family genealogy 51 Million 1 Million 13 Million 30,500

30 Use and to get fewer results Results Search Query 248 Million johnson 51 Million johnson family 13 Million johnson family genealogy 1 Million virginia johnson family genealogy 30,500 richmond virginia johnson family genealogy

31 Marriage combo plate Ora Jones AND Dearing Search husband and wife surnames to increase relevant results

32 Boolean OR operator OR ; A B

33 Operator: OR, ;, OR ; (semi colon) (vertical bar) broaden search and retrieve records containing one or both terms. If you are searching for Lincoln OR Nebraska Returns with pages containing either Lincoln or Nebraska OR ; A B OR gives you more

34 Operator: OR, ;, Do not write OR with a lowercase o or r Query variations (Word) OR (Word) (Word) ; (Word) (Word) (Word) The (vertical bar) need not be surrounded by spaces (Word) (Word)

35 Operators: Not, - Search will find either Tahiti or Hawaii or both terms Query variations Tahiti OR Hawaii Tahiti Hawaii Search will find pages that contain any one, two, or all three of the terms Georgia, census, and tax Query variations Georgia OR census OR Tax Georgia census tax

36 Using OR wilson maine OR vermont Expand search results that are too few by using the limiter term: OR (always capitalized) OR wilson maine vermont

37 Using OR wilson maine wilson vermont wilson maine vermont maine vermont

38 NOT - Boolean A B operator NOT -

39 Operator: Not, - NOT, - use to find pages without a particular term Put a sign operator in front of the word in the query If you are searching for Scots -language Returns pages about Scots but excludes those relating to language NOT - A B Not gives first not second

40 Operator: Not, - Do not put a space between the and the word Query variations (Word) and Not (Word) (Word) (Word) (Word) (Word) (Word)

41 Operator: Not, - Useful when searching for a surname with a common usage If you are searching for Alex Rice Alex Rice -university Alex Rice university -recipes Returns pages about rice but excludes those relating to university and recipes

42 Operator: Not, - Helps in refining your search and eliminating words linked to your search term If you are searching for scots scots -language scots -language -people scots -language -people -culture Returns pages about Scots but excludes those relating to language, people, culture

43 Operator: Not, - Narrow search and retrieve records that do not contain the term following it If you are searching for Apple Apple -developer Apple -developer -Washington Apple developer WA -Ipod Returns pages about Apple but excludes those relating to developer, Washington, Ipod

44 Find family by narrowing your search

45 Search on Ewell surname ewell Richard Stoddert Ewell Epson and Ewell Ewell Observatory

46 Narrow the search ewell Start search query

47 Narrow the search + ewell +genealogy ewell

48 Narrow the search - ewell +genealogy epson and ewell + ewell +genealogy ewell

49 Narrow the search - ewell +genealogy epson and ewell -richard - ewell +genealogy epson and ewell + ewell +genealogy ewell

50 Narrow the search - ewell +genealogy epson and ewell -richard -observatory - ewell +genealogy epson and ewell -richard - ewell +genealogy epson and ewell + ewell +genealogy ewell

51 Examples of search combinations ewell + ewell +genealogy - ewell +genealogy epson and ewell - ewell +genealogy epson and ewell -richard - ewell +genealogy epson and ewell -richard -observatory

52 Use genealogy key words

53 Use genealogy key words (Search String) (genealogy word) Add genealogical terms to your surname search string and search repeatedly with different emphasis Key Words

54 Use genealogy key words Search String Ewell Key Words birth Ora Jones birth born Ora Jones born

55 Use genealogy key words Search String Ewell Key Words marriage married Ora Jones marriage Ora Jones married

56 Use genealogy key words Search String Ewell Key Words buried died burial death Ora Jones buried Ora Jones death

57 Use genealogy key words Search String Key Words genealogy Jones genealogy

58 Use genealogy key words Search String Key Words cemetery Ora Jones cemetery

59 Use genealogy key words Search String Key Words list roster index Ora Jones list Ora Jones roster Ora Jones index

60 Use genealogy key words Search String Key Words family Ora Jones family

61 Use genealogy key words Search String Key Words history Ora Jones history

62 Use genealogy key words Search String Key Words surname Spanish Fork Jones

63 When and when not to use abbreviations

64 Avoid abbreviations for location names Avoid using abbreviations for location names CA Canada California Cocaine Camera

65 Type in old-fashioned abbreviation When looking for transcriptions of old data, widen your search by using the old-fashioned abbreviation Utah North Dakota U. Terr. Florida N. Dak. Fla. Wisconsin Wis., Wisc

66 Avoid abbreviations for keywords If you abbreviate a search keyword, you won't get complete and accurate search results US Civil War Abbreviations co for company regt or reg't for regiment

67 Avoid abbreviations for keywords Create a search query that includes abbreviations US Civil War regt OR reg't OR regiment Pennsylvania OR Penna regt OR reg't OR regiment

68 When your surname is also a noun

69 When your surname is also a noun Blue Bench Fox Church

70 Try using key words Try using key words family, born, surname to help narrow search results to Web pages about the surname Church family Church born Church surname Church genealogy

71 Add surname and location Add specifics to your query by adding another surname and location Bench Bradbury Wenatchee Bench Bradbury Wenatchee

72 Eliminate false results Fox surname animal news century Fox surname animal Try to eliminate false results by telling Google news century

73 Quoted phrases:

74 Quoted phrases: Quotation marks are used in searches to denote that you are specifically looking for these words in this order If you are searching for John Adams Returns pages containing the exact quoted phrase. For example, John Adams finds pages containing the phrase John Adams exactly

75 Quoted phrases: A quoted phrase is the most widely used type of special search Query to be or not to be

76 Specific spelling of word: Find specific word spelling Query Kathi Returns Kathi and not Cathi, cathi or Kathy. Find specific word spelling Query +Kathi Returns Kathi and not Cathi, cathi or Kathy.

77 Quoted phrases: You may include more than one quoted string in a query Query 1880 Census Federal Census The following search would find pages containing both of the phrases 1880 Census and Federal Census

78 Wildcard search using the asterisk *

79 Wildcard Search: Asterisk * A wildcard in a Google search query is indicated by an asterisk * and will match one or more whole words

80 Wildcard Search: Asterisk * Use the (Asterisk) * for stemming. Represents 0 to 6 characters (Partial word)* Joh* Returns pages containing words with the partial keyword. John Johnson Johnsen Johnathon Johns

81 Wildcard Search: Asterisk * You cannot start a query an * Correct Incorrect John* *John You must have at least 3 letters prior to using the * in your query Correct Incorrect Joh* Jo*

82 Wildcard Searches: Name Search Use Asterisk (*) or proximity searches for names. Your ancestor's name may be Ora William Jones: Possible Query Formats Possible Query Formats First Middle Last Ora William Jones Last First Middle Jones Ora William First Last Last First Ora Jones Jones Ora

83 Wildcard Searches: Name Search An example of one query using the * is as follow: Ora * Jones It will not return results Ora Jones with no middle name or initial (Name) * (Name) Ora * Jones Returns pages containing Ora Jones separated by 1 or more words. Ora W. Jones Ora W Jones Ora William Jones Ora; Murphy, Jones Ora Lee Jones Ora G. Jones

84 Wildcard Searches: Name Search To search for web pages containing his name with a middle name or initial AND his name with no middle name or initial (Name) * (Name) OR (Name) (Name) Ora * Jones OR Ora Jones Returns pages containing Ora Jones separated by 1 or more words and without inserted words Ora Jones Ora W. Jones Ora W Jones Ora William Jones Ora; Murphy, Jones Ora Lee Jones Ora G. Jones

85 Wildcard Searches: Place Name Search Search for a missing word in a phrase in a place name (City) *, (State) Spanish *, Utah * (City), (State) * Fork, Utah (City) *, (State) OR * (City), (State) Spanish *, Utah OR * Fork, Utah

86 Wildcard Searches: (phrase) * (phrase) Asterisk * acts as placeholder for one or more words Examples: to be or * is the question to be or not * is the question (phrase) * (phrase) to be or * is the question Returns pages containing phrase that is separated by 1 or more words. To be or not to be, that is the question? To be or not to be educated is the question?

87 Wildcard Searches: * Tip Get around Google s 32-word limit on the number of words in your query by substituting an * in place of each stop word or common word in your query Gettysburg Address Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Query Four score * seven years ago * fathers brought forth * continent * new nation, conceived * Liberty, * dedicated * proposition * men * created equal Wildcards are not counted

88 Wildcard search using the question mark?

89 Wildcard Searches: Question Mark? Question mark?, represents looking for alternate spellings where one letter may make the difference? sm?th Returns pages containing words with the alternate spelling of 1 letter. Smith Smyth Smoth Smath

90 Wildcard Searches: Question Mark? You cannot start a query a? Correct Incorrect Sm?th?Smith

91 How to use the number range operator

92 Number range: Using two periods Use the number range operator if you are not sure of the exact year, but do have an approximation (#)..(#) Sarah Mullins obituary Google will return matches for the years 1920, 1921, 1922, 1923, 1924, and Jacob Wagner ship passenger list Google will return matches for Jacob Wagner on any passenger list between the years 1880 and 1890

93 Using two periods Use the number range to search for a person and location using their year of birth and year of death Birth or death Mary Ellen Wright Everett Washington Number range to search for a person and location using their year of birth and year of death

94 Using Numrange: Numrange: is just another way of saying the same thing and gives the same results. Note the colon after the word numrange and a dash between the years, all with no spaces inbetween Word numrange: (#)-(#) Sarah Mullins obituary Google will return matches for the years 1920, 1921, 1922, 1923, 1924, and 1925.

95 Using Numrange: Google Numrange works for any type of number Years Iowa Maps Money Bikes $ $ Zip Codes Library

96 Using Numrange: Just add two numbers, separated by two periods, with no spaces, into the search box along with your search terms Weights kg truck Temperature Death valley degrees

97 How to use the tilde (~) operator ~

98 Operator: Tilde (~) The tilde (~) operator takes the word immediately following it and searches for Specific word Word s synonyms Term with alternative endings ~(Word) census ~guide Returns both the specific word, synonyms, and term with alternative endings census guide census tutorial census help census tips census map census overview

99 Operator: Tilde (~) Put the ~ (tilde) next to the word ~(Word) ~guide The tilde operator works best when applied to general terms and terms with many synonyms

100 Operator: Tilde (~) Search synonyms using Tilde (~) Tombstone Gravestone mullins ~tombstone Marker Headstone Monument

101 Ancestor search: Search for ancestor with spouse's name

102 Search for ancestor with spouse's name Father Last Name First Name Last Name John Jones Ora Jones Mother Last Name Spouse Last Name Mary Johnson Vera Dearing Place of Birth Atlanta, Georgia Place fo of Death Get the best genealogy searches for Google by using your family tree Denver, Colorado

103 Don't know an ancestor's parents? Father Last Name First Name Last Name Richard Jones Ora Jones Mother Last Name Spouse Last Name Vera Dearing Place of Birth Nashville, Tennessee Place fo of Death Denver, Colorado Use the child's name for the First Name and Last Name (and spouse, birth, and death) and then enter the ancestor as the Father or Mother

104 Search for ancestor with spouse's name Often searching for the spouse's name along with the primary person's name is the best way to look for an ancestor Primary Spouse

105 Search for ancestor with spouse's name Introduce three searches checking for terms... genealogy ancestry

106 Search for ancestor with spouse's name Each search will pick up websites that might use the common misspelling of genealogy genealogy

107 Building a search query: (~) Tilde The tilde (~) operator takes the word immediately following it and searches for Specific word ~genealogy Family Tree Genealogy Genealogists Surname Vital Records Word s synonyms Term with alternative endings ~ancestry Ancestry Ancestors Genealogy History Surname Family Tree

108 Building a search query OR Lincoln OR Nebraska OR (when typed in upper case) allows for either of multiple conditions Returns with pages containing either Lincoln or Nebraska NOT NOT, - use to find pages without a particular term Scots -language Returns pages about Scots but excludes those relating to language Put a sign operator in front of the word in the query

109 Building a search query Quotes 1880 Census If you want to search for an exact phrase, use quotes * Astrix Ora * Jones The "*" symbol is a wildcard This is useful if you're trying to find name variations, middle names, etc. Returns pages containing Ora Jones separated by one or more words Ora W. Jones Ora W Jones Ora William Jones Ora; Murphy, Jones Ora Lee Jones Ora G. Jones

110 Search for ancestor with spouse's name Examples will use first and last names Primary Ora Jones Spouse Vera Dearing

111 Search for ancestor with spouse's name Father Last Name First Name Last Name John Jones Ora Jones Mother Last Name Spouse Last Name Mary Johnson Vera Dearing Place of Birth Atlanta, Georgia Place fo of Death Denver, Colorado

112 Search for ancestor with spouse's name "ora jones" OR "ora * jones" OR jones, ora " vera dearing" ~genealogy OR ~ancestry Search #1 This search uses the three name formats for Ora Jones with the spouse's first and last name Ora Jones Ora * Jones Jones, Ora Vera Dearing ~genealogy ~ancestry

113 Search for ancestor with spouse's name "ora Jones" OR "ora * Jones" OR "Jones, ora " "Vera * Dearing" ~genealogy OR ~ancestry Search #2 This search uses the three name formats for Ora Jones with the spouse's first name, middle name or initial, and last name Ora Jones Ora * Jones Jones, Ora Vera * Dearing ~genealogy ~ancestry

114 Search for ancestor with spouse's name "ora Jones" OR "ora * Jones" OR "Jones, ora " Dearing, Vera" ~genealogy OR ~ancestry Search #3 This search uses the three name formats for Ora Jones with the spouse's last name, followed by a comma and the spouse's first name Ora Jones Ora * Jones Jones, Ora Dearing, Vera ~genealogy ~ancestry

115 How to use the link: operator

116 Search Operators: link: link:. The query link:url shows pages that point to that URL link:url

117 Search Operators: link: link:. link:genealogybybarry.com There must not be a space between the link: and the web page URL

118 Search Operators: link: link:. link:genealogybybarry.com Perform a Google search on the URL to return all pages that mention the URL as well as those that link to it

119 Search Operators: link: link:genealogybybarry.com/color-coded-genealogy Returns pages that link to a particular URL

120 How to use the allinanchor: operator

121 Search Operators: allinanchor: allinanchor:. The query allinanchor: results to pages containing all query terms you specify in the anchor text on links to the page allinanchor: Search term

122 Search Operators: allinanchor: allinanchor: German immigration Returns the pages/sites that have the specific keywords german immigration in anchor tags pointing towards those pages

123 How to use the safesearch: operator

124 Search Operators: safesearch: safesearch:. This search will allow you to research the topic while excluding pornographic sites safesearch:

125 Search Operators: safesearch: safesearch:. safesearch: breast cancer

126 How to use the site: operator

127 Search Operators: site: Site:. The query site:domain restrict your search results to the site or domain you specify Site:Domain

128 Google indexing When you conduct a basic Google search, you get responses from what Google has about the top few pages The rest of the site is Invisible

129 Google indexing Some genealogy sites have 1000 s of pages

130 Google indexing How do you get Google to return information that is beyond the top level? Website Domain Search

131 Google indexing Use site:domain Example: site: familysearch.org All of the pages become visible

132 Search Operators: site: (Website) Site:. Maxey Ewell site:rootsweb.com Site: (Website) Return all pages within a particular domain and all its subdomains if you search without the www

133 Search Operators: site: (Website) Maxey Ewell site:rootsweb.com Returns only information about Maxey Ewell from the rootsweb.com website

134 Search Operators: site:(domain) Site:..edu.com.net.gov.org clark county cenus site:.org Site: (domain) simply use domain extensions as your search criteria

135 Search Operators: site:(domain) Site:. Use.org or org to find census records clark county cenus site:.org

136 Search Operators: site:(domain) clark county cenus site:.org Returns results for clark county census only from domains that have the.org extension

137 Search Operators: site: Site:. You can use many of the search operators in conjunction with the basic search operators +,, OR, and windows security site:microsoft.com

138 How to use the related: operator

139 Search Operators: related: related:. The query related:url will list Web pages that are similar to the Web page you specify related:url

140 Search Operators: related: related:. There must be no space between the related: and the Web page URL Related:

141 How to use the allintext: operator

142 Search Operators: allintext: allintext:. The query allintext: restricts results to those containing all the query terms you specify in the text of the page allintext: Search terms

143 Search Operators: allintext: allintext:. Will return only pages in which the words travel, packing, and list appear in the text of the page allintext: travel packing list

144 Search Operators: allintext: allintext:. allintext: travel packing list

145 How to use the intitle: operator

146 Search Operators: intitle: intitle:. The query intitle:search term restricts results to documents containing term in the title intitle:search term

147 Search Operators: intitle: intitle:. Search will return documents that mention the word Texas in their titles, and mention the words Census and schedules anywhere in the document (title or not) Census schedules intitle:texas

148 Search Operators: intitle: Census schedules intitle:texas Texas must be in headline Census and schedule can be in title or body of text

149 How to use the allintitle: operator

150 Search Operators: allintitle: allititle:. The query allintitle:search term restricts the results to those with all of the query words in the title allintitle:search Term

151 Search Operators: allintitle: allintitle: Florida maps

152 Search Operators: allintitle: allintitle: Florida maps

153 Search Operators: allintitle: allintitle: Florida maps

154 Google alerts for the genealogist

155 Google alert

156 Google alert You can use quotes, math signs, tilde, the OR operand, as you would in a regular Google genealogy query Query Ewell +genealogy "Maxey Ewell" +genealogy "Ewell Macey" +genealogy ewell +genealogy -brenda ewell +mullins +genealogy -forum

157 Searching for maps

158 Searching for maps General search +map +[place/area name] +map +Kansas

159 Searching for maps +map +Kansas

160 Searching for maps +map +Kansas Example of image search

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