Author Topic: Single name studies - obselete?  (Read 1478 times)

Offline Edward Scott

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Re: Single name studies - obselete?
« Reply #9 on: Friday 02 February 18 17:32 GMT (UK) »

Quote
Could you expand on why, please?

Clearly any-and-all careful research, transforming raw records into checked and transcribed relationships have value; what's the particular merit of a ONS as opposed to a small tree?

I am researching Scortred C16th & early C17th (& 10= variations), started in Wisbech and has spread to the Isle of Ely, ie 4 counties, but bulk of people with this name lived within 5 miles of Wisbech.

Absolutely no idea of their origin, but I now have 2 distinct trees that I know should be 1 as there are 2 Thomas' both born c1540 whose fathers were brothers.

I have looked at as many BMD's as I can find, wills from Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire & Norfolk and now 2 from Sussex and another 2 from Derbyshire.

The name is so unusual that there has to be a join somewhere. I feel that the only way is to look at & document every occurrence to see if a link appears.

Not a true one name study but more than a well researched family line.

Edward
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Needham - Lincolnshire
Wayet - Lincolnshire

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Offline coombs

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Re: Single name studies - obselete?
« Reply #10 on: Friday 02 February 18 18:38 GMT (UK) »
If it is a rare name then ONS studies are worth their weight in gold.
Could you expand on why, please?

Clearly any-and-all careful research, transforming raw records into checked and transcribed relationships have value; what's the particular merit of a ONS as opposed to a small tree?

  BugBear

I think it is due to the rarity of the surname, and no doubt some people will come across the name, or variants such as Teager/Titshall etc.
Researching:

LONDON, Coombs, Roberts, Auber, Helsdon, Fradine, Morin, Goodacre
DORSET Coombs, Munday
NORFOLK Helsdon, Riches, Harbord, Budery
KENT Roberts, Goodacre
SUSSEX Walder, Boniface, Dinnage, Standen, Lee, Botten, Wickham, Jupp
SUFFOLK Titshall, Frost, Fairweather, Mayhew, Archer, Eade, Scarfe
DURHAM Stewart, Musgrave, Wilson, Forster
SCOTLAND Stewart in Selkirk
USA Musgrave, Saix
ESSEX Cornwell, Stock, Quilter, Lawrence, Whale, Clift
OXON Edgington, Smith, Inkpen, Snell, Batten, Brain

Offline jc26red

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Re: Single name studies - obselete?
« Reply #11 on: Friday 02 February 18 18:49 GMT (UK) »
I started collecting everything for Ireland for the one name study. I am lucky that there is quite a lot for my specific line but I have collected everything for the name  for other lines as we also have a YDNA project underway, so it is helpful to others too.

I expanded to passenger lists, and now concentrating on the name in and around London.

Years ago, I did the same for my maiden name in one particular town in Somerset.  It may seem excessive but well worth it as you can really sort out who is who, unfortunately that name is not very unique and a ONS would be a huge task.  I found it a  very good learning exercise.
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Offline Guy Etchells

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Re: Single name studies - obselete?
« Reply #12 on: Friday 02 February 18 19:18 GMT (UK) »
I am under the impression that single name studies originated in the era of paging through documents, either originals or on fiche, and the patient use of the mk1 human eyeball.

When doing this, it is relatively easy to extract/transcribe every record that matches "the name".

This dataset would also (probably) allow you establish a patrilineal line of descent.

In the modern era of indexed and searchable data it is much more feasible than it used to be to form a full tree, tracing both parents at every level.

So - are single name studies obselete now, or do they have a merit or benefit that I haven't appreciated?

 BugBear

No one name studies are possibly even more important now that records are online.

The ease of accessing records also mean it is even easier than it used to be to miss a candidate or include a candidate who should be excluded.
One name studies help to prevent this.

In addition good one name studies transcribe records the may be online but not indexed or transcribed (i.e. browse only), records that may never become available online and records such as many newspapers where the OCRd text is nothing like the printed name among many other advantages of a good one name study.

Cheers
Guy
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Offline bugbear

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Re: Single name studies - obselete?
« Reply #13 on: Saturday 03 February 18 10:02 GMT (UK) »

No one name studies are possibly even more important now that records are online.

The ease of accessing records also mean it is even easier than it used to be to miss a candidate or include a candidate who should be excluded.
One name studies help to prevent this.

In addition good one name studies transcribe records the may be online but not indexed or transcribed (i.e. browse only), records that may never become available online and records such as many newspapers where the OCRd text is nothing like the printed name among many other advantages of a good one name study.

Cheers
Guy

Interesting; IMHO the key feature of what you've just described is high quality transcription and indexing; the fact that it's on a single name to keep the task "finite" is not really very important!

I don't think anybody is going to object to high quality transcription and indexing, no matter what the motivation!

 BugBear
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WOMACK Norfolk/Suffolk

Offline Guy Etchells

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Re: Single name studies - obselete?
« Reply #14 on: Saturday 03 February 18 10:33 GMT (UK) »

Interesting; IMHO the key feature of what you've just described is high quality transcription and indexing; the fact that it's on a single name to keep the task "finite" is not really very important!

I don't think anybody is going to object to high quality transcription and indexing, no matter what the motivation!

 BugBear

I agree but that is the problem, the on line companies are under pressure to produce more and more records for their subscribers to prevent them leaving their site.
There are a few ways to do this by uploading original unindexed/untranscribed records or by licencing records already transcribed or by getting people to transcribe the records for them all these options come at a cost whether financial or accessibility.

The companies are balancing these costs by using all the options available to them while at the same time keeping subscriptions as low as possible.

I am sure everyone (subscribers & companies) would agree with your target of high quality transcription and indexing would be best, but that comes at a high cost which would hit both subscribers & companies, so a compromise has been reached.

Cheers
Guy
http://anguline.co.uk/Framland/index.htm   The site that gives you facts not promises!
http://burial-inscriptions.co.uk Tombstones & Monumental Inscriptions.

As we have gained from the past, we owe the future a debt, which we pay by sharing today.