Issue 38.10
Record Search is a feature of the FamilySearch Web site that allows you to search for genealogical records that may have information about your ancestor, including birth, marriage, death, census, emigration, and other types of records from around the world.
The records that FamilySearch is indexing will eventually be placed in Record Search. You can search through millions of indexed records or browse through images of records waiting to be indexed. The original record image may reside on FamilySearch, or it may link to an affiliate Web site.
Record Search is still under development. This release is considered a pilot. This means that at times, Record Search will not be available while additional records are added or features are improved. Some record collections may also be published temporarily and then taken down for further refinement.
To access Record Search, go to http://www.familysearch.org/. Click the Search Records tab, and select Record Search pilot.
Record Search has millions of records. Many of the records have been indexed. You can search the index of names to find records about individuals.
Record Search allows you to determine the accuracy of the search results. The default setting, Exact & close match, will return records that are exact matches in addition to close, but not exactly like your search terms. This is helpful when you are not sure if the name is spelled correctly, or if the date is not exactly right. You can also specify if you want only exact matches or even results that only partially match your search.
To search for an individual, on the Home page, enter information about the individual you want to find. As you enter a location, a standardized drop-down list appears. Select the standardized location. From the search criteria drop-down list, select Exact, close, & partial. Click Search. To use more search criteria, such as a mother or father’s name, click Advanced Search. If there are too many search results, you can filter the results by different categories, such as a date or collection. You can filter more than one category.
To search the record collections, click Browse our record collections. From the map, click on the region you want to view records about. More collections are added all the time. Check back often!
Shanna Jones is a professional genealogist. For additional information, Shanna can be reached at (435) 628-4900 or shannasjones@msn.com.