Genealogy Chat

I had my family RODEN mistranscribed as Kaden. No wonder I couldn't find them phonetically. Any transcriptions wide of the mark? Selena

I had my Morgan family transcribed as Mugan on the 1891 census. Still have the father of the family missing, tried all combinations, but can't find him! Maggy

Hi Selena I have found some really bad transcriptions with some of my ancestors. I have some with the surname Pizzie who i have found listed as Lizzie, Pirrie, Piggie to name a few. Also have Ringrow ancestors that have been transcribed as Ringrove, Rengrow, Renfrew. Quite amazingly i did tell the people on the 1901 census that they had my Pizzie family incorrectly listed as Lizzie and after about 6 months actually got round to putting it right! Sharon

Sunley mistranscibed as Finlay, Simley, Sonley, Sunlay, (~: George

Sear was transcribed as Lear - took me a year to find - especially as the most unusual christian name in the family was not actually shown! Maz. XX

ive got Jennion instead of Tinnion,thats the only one ive come across on 1901 census Anna :-)

Not a transcription error, I have spelling errors from the 1901 census (census taker spelling first/correct spelling second): Charllotte/Charlotte, Gracei/Gracie, Hariett/Harriette, Lousie/Louise, Maud/Maude, Sofia/Sophia, Fanney/Fanny -- these were all in one family. He/she did spell John and Alfred correctly.

Sharon, I laughed about the family called Piggie. At least they corrected the mistake, a good result. Selena

I have a Francis transcribed as Mancie, and a family called Haney as Penny. The transcribers do a good job most of the time and let's be honest some of that handwriting is appalling! Helen

RUELOCK instead of KERSLAKE MARY instead of MERRY No major problems for me

It isn't always the transcribers that make the mistake, sometimes it is the registrar, the person doing the census or even the person registering the birth/ death etc.

Mistransciption on the 1901 Shrubb is Shruff. Image says Shrubb but curly old handwriting! Took me about a year to find but eventually discovered the 'wildcard' through a tip on this board. Penny

Hi All, On the 1901 I have Tolfree transcribed as Tolpee, luckily the person I was looking for had the christian name Tobias, and there weren`t too many of those around! The one that made me chuckle though was from the civil registration index. Great uncle Albert became great uncle Ubert!! Rebecca

Albert/Ubert jogged my memory.... I had an Honor who became HOMER on the 1901!! Last name not Simpson though....LOL

Hi , I have Puncher as Punsher and Poore as Ppol. Karen : )

I have Marrien when it is definitely Maurice, also his childrens names are wrong I have looked and saved the actual copy of pg and it is definitely Maurice. They also missed off his occupation as they couldn't read it and clearly says smacksman (fisherman) I guess its easy when we know but if you are blindly looking at it it may be difficult to read. Emailed 1901 people and still haven't changed it. Took me ages to find this family because of this! There names are also mis-spelt on FreeBMD but not on certificate - Morris for Maurice and Mary Jane Crofs but is actually Cross!! It makes me cross!! keeps us on our toes though! zoë

Remember that bmd transcriptions are taken from registers and not certificates! And if you look at the errors we make on the boards, be a little forgiving of possible transcription errors - we are not working from the actual register or census, only an image of it. You need to see some of the writing to believe it!

Ageshuey - presumably for Agnes Lucy - she was Lucy A on the previous census.

I feel I must stick up for the transcriber's here. it can be sooo difficult to translate another's hand writing so unless you have tried it don't knock it. But it can send you on the wrong path it happened to me but now I can empathise with the people who transcribe. Ann

The most notable mis-transcriptions ar probably the ones you haven't found, because they are so much at viriance from the original that you would never look there!