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Some Special Interests => One Name Studies => Topic started by: Amy K on Sunday 08 August 04 18:34 BST (UK)

Title: What database or program should I use ?
Post by: Amy K on Sunday 08 August 04 18:34 BST (UK)
Can anybosy suggest a good genealogical programme for One Name Studies?
Title: Re: Best Computer Programme
Post by: trystan on Sunday 08 August 04 23:32 BST (UK)
Try RootsMap, the program allows you to do a surname distribution map of the surnames you are looking for.

http://www.rootsmap.com/

To quote from their site:

A surname distribution map takes the incidence of occurrence of a particular name and transfers that information to a map. Most of RootsMap UK distribution maps are based on data from the 1881 census, and are available showing either place of birth or place of residence at the time of the Census. Using the 1881 Census as a data source, a map can show the likely origin of a surname in the UK, particularly when showing place of birth.


You're looking for "Genmap UK" to search any surname.

Trystan
RootsChat Admin
Title: What database should I use?
Post by: RonnieG on Tuesday 24 April 07 14:20 BST (UK)
Hello all,

I've been thinking (for a while) about starting a "one name study" for the Woods surname.

My intention would be to concentrate on occurrences of the name in Ireland mainly but I know before I even start that the numbers of individuals is going to be pretty big.

Can someone advise me how best to computerise all this information so that I can manage it correctly.

If I'm going to do this properly, I would prefer to start off with the right system rather than giving myself the task of transferring a lot of data into a new system later on.

What should I do?

RonnieG

Moderator Comment: topics merged, similar subject
Title: Re: What database should I use?
Post by: mike175 on Wednesday 09 January 08 09:33 GMT (UK)
Hi,

Just came across this old un-answered post while browsing around. I guess the problem has been resolved by now but, for what it's worth, I should think it would be best to stick with one of the many proprietary family tree programs. Then you will be able to print it out or export the data as a GEDCOM if you want to share it.

Having experimented with various spreadsheets, dBase, etc. I soon discovered you can spend more time working out how to organise the data than you spend 'inputting' it.

Mike.
Title: Re: What database should I use?
Post by: Anarchia on Saturday 26 January 08 05:43 GMT (UK)
Has anyone tried using Microsoft Access for this?

Family tree software doesn't store the data in a way that allows me to identify links easily. Excel is working nicely, but it is ugly, has limited flexibility and it would be so much nicer to have something suited for the purpose.

If you have tried using Access, I would love some hints! As Mike commented, I seem to have spent longer trying to get Access to work than I have entering data today!

Ana
Title: Re: What database should I use?
Post by: Mean_genie on Saturday 26 January 08 08:03 GMT (UK)
Access is very good for this, but I know what you mean about spending more time making it work than entering data - and I've been on a course! You also have to design your own forms and get endlessly distracted trying to make it look pretty.

Custodian software is the one you want for a one-name study (and as far as I can tell it is basically an Access-type database already customised). You might also want to contact the Guild of One-Name Studies www.one-name.org.uk (http://www.one-name.org.uk) whose members are already doing what you are setting out to do, and have a lot of experience, as you can imagine. Even if you don't want to join, try to get hold of some back numbers of their Journal, which often has articles on this sort of thing.

Mean_genie
Title: Re: What database should I use?
Post by: mike175 on Saturday 26 January 08 08:44 GMT (UK)
Some of the genealogy programs (eg RootsMagic) do store the data in .dbf files which you can manipulate with dBase or Access etc. But I would copy the files to a new folder and work on them there to avoid corrupting the originals.

It's always worth bearing in mind that you may want to share information with others, so use a format that is accessible. I once developed a dBase accounts package on my old CP/M computer, only to find I then had to print out everything so that the accountant could then re-enter it into his Sage program!

Mike.
Title: Re: What database should I use?
Post by: Anarchia on Saturday 26 January 08 19:29 GMT (UK)
Thanks for the information about Custodian - it looks very good indeed. The program might not do everything I was thinking I wanted to do, but it does things I didn't know I wanted to do until I saw it! Unfortunately, my partner thinks he can set me up with Lotus Approach, which seems much, much easier to use than Access (I want to create the tables, forms, links, output formats etc without reading instructions  :P ), and which we already have (no need to spend 25 pounds). So, it looks like I will be creating tables for a while... Hopefully, I will be able to justify buying Custodian sometime.

Ana
Title: Re: What database should I use?
Post by: Mean_genie on Saturday 26 January 08 20:28 GMT (UK)
Lotus Approach! I used to have that, and I managed to set up tables, forms etc without spending a month with an instruction manual, as far as I can remember, much easier to get a grip on than Access.

I am told by a work colleague who has used Custodian for a long time that you can import data from other databases, so with luck you will be able to migrate all your records from Approach when you eventually get Custodian (fingers crossed).

Mean_genie
Title: Re: What database should I use?
Post by: pinefamily on Thursday 25 September 08 10:04 BST (UK)
Found this thread scrolling around eootschat.
When I started my one-name study, I created tables, forms,etc. in Access. A lot of messing around and restarting later, I found I had a reasonable database.
Then, I heard about Custodian, and later The Master Genealogist. This last one is a genealogy program, but I believe can be used for one-name studies. Having already purchased a genealogy program previously, U thought my money better spent on Custodian. 4,500 names later.....

Darren
Title: Re: Best Computer Programme
Post by: pinefamily on Thursday 25 September 08 10:17 BST (UK)
Custodian. It is a database program, rather than a genealogy program, and you can import and export excel files.

Darren
Title: Re: What database should I use?
Post by: behindthefrogs on Thursday 25 September 08 11:15 BST (UK)
I have tried using traditional genealogy programs for a one name database and i find that they rapidly become unmanageable.  They are not in general designed to allow you to link people after they have been included.

I find that an Excel Spreadsheet is the best solution.  You can in Excel carry out much of the linking which is available in Access.

If you take Gedcom as a model and have a sheet which corresponds to each of the types of Gedcom record (Individual, Family, Note) then a very sophisticated database can be built.

David
Title: Re: Best Computer Programme
Post by: pjbuk007 on Thursday 25 September 08 11:20 BST (UK)
Rootsmap is quite a nice site, but very basic in terms of surname research.

Custodian is used by most one-namers.
http://www.custodian3.co.uk/

But have you joined GOONS?
http://www.one-name.org/

If not, I strongly suggest that you do, it is well worth it.  Also well worth registering the name if you have not done so. They have good meetings, and the website has improved a lot, with a growing Wiki which is very helpful.
Title: Re: What database or program should I use ?
Post by: mike175 on Saturday 25 October 08 16:35 BST (UK)
I just installed Custodian 3 because so many people seem to recommend it for one-name studies. Now I'm not so sure it was a good idea. I guess you can get used to anything but it sure is hard work, and I'm already beginning to wonder if life is just too short to bother.  :(

After using RootsMagic (which I highly recommend), in fact after most modern software, it's like turning the clock back 20 years. It reminds me of my early efforts with dBaseII. Certainly not a 'user friendly' interface by modern standards. Every other genealogy program I've tried has been able to import GEDCOM files and incorporate them into the database, but Custodian seems to isolate all the GEDCOM data and leave you to enter the BMDs, etc. manually. Or maybe I've missed something? :-\

If you're thinking of using Custodian, I suggest you play around with the limited free download for a long time to make sure it works for you.

Mike.
Title: Re: What database or program should I use ?
Post by: DonHugo on Saturday 25 October 08 17:29 BST (UK)
Don't re-invent the wheel! 

Contact the Group of One Name Studies for advice.  They have a wealth of experience.

If 800 or more records are involved, I would not even consider a spreadsheet; I would opt for a database. 

The downside of creating your own database is the design effort required, and this should include GEDCOM import/export capability.

DonHugo
Title: Re: What database or program should I use ?
Post by: pursebearer on Thursday 05 February 09 13:48 GMT (UK)
I've used Microsoft Works databases since the 1980s with great success. I have separate files for births, marriages, deaths and censuses etc. It's simple to use, easy to manipulate data and design reports. The only issue is the inability to create links between files. But I'm now looking for something similar that will run under Linux as well as Windows. The Works word processor files I created 20 years ago are no longer readable by the latest Works, I'm afraid that eventually, the same will apply to the database files. OpenOffice.org has a nice database that runs on either platform but it's much harder to operate than with Works. I note that both Custodian and Rootsmagic are Windows only. Is there any equivalent for an open platform?
Title: Re: What database or program should I use ?
Post by: vickifperry on Friday 20 February 09 11:25 GMT (UK)
I've found this discussion very helpful, and I didn't know that there was specific software available.

I've been doing a one-name study on my own surname in Ireland (not registered with GOONS as I don't want to include the UK). I have a separate spreadsheet for each source (births, deaths, census, deeds etc), with a column for each detail (name, date, reference number) etc. I've collected thousands of instances of the name now and I'm starting to link the families together. I have a column in each table which gives details of which particlar family the person in question comes from and once I've fitted them in I put details in this column, and enter them into my genealogy software. I'm also doing an index of other people mentioned in the documents, rather than the primary person who the document is about (e.g. witnesses, godparents, other parties to deeds) and index of placenames, which will hopefully flag up any connections between the different families.

What I want to know is....does this make sense? Can anyone foresee any problems with this approach and is it worth getting the software instead (and if it is, would it be easy to transfer all my data over?)

Thanks,

Vicki
Title: Re: What database or program should I use ?
Post by: Berlin-Bob on Sunday 22 February 09 16:00 GMT (UK)
Quote
What I want to know is....does this make sense? Can anyone foresee any problems with this approach and is it worth getting the software instead (and if it is, would it be easy to transfer all my data over?)

Hi Vicki,

in the worst case, you will probably find that you need extra columns/fields which didn't occur to you when you were setting things up.

There is another topic on this board about using excel (with links to other topics, etc :) ).
Topic: Best System?
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,15396.0.html

If you read that, and follow all the links there, you will find various suggestions for which columns should /could be in an excel table.
And an advantage of excel is that it is easy to add columns later, if new aspects occur to you.
(some of the links are to topics on the FH Programs, Organisation, Presentation (http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/board,422.0.html) .
Could be worth checking out some of the ideas and the experiences with different FH programs there)

I prefer to keep everything in one file, with one line for each event, others prefer one line with every event for that person, others prefer a seperate file for each event   -  your research, your choice :)

One event per line means that I can record the addresses at each census (for instance)

In the other topics, Chris (one file per event) also explains how he merges the files to make one master file. Using the excel filters, it is then possible to look for connections (or coincidences ?), using place, age, or whatever criterion you choose.

And as I said in the other topic, excel has a lot of export possibilities, so you should be able to export the data in a format that other programs can also use.

Bob
Title: Re: What database or program should I use ?
Post by: vickifperry on Monday 23 February 09 12:44 GMT (UK)
Thanks Bob, that's really helpful.
Title: Re: What database or program should I use ?
Post by: AshbrookCheshire on Friday 14 September 12 09:53 BST (UK)
At the risk of sounding like a philistine…

I’m just using the family tree on ancestry.co.uk for mine, it makes linking records easier, I can get a nice long list of people to see if they match up and it's pretty idiot proof (unlike Access!).  I guess this only works since my name is fairly small…or am I going to hit issues in the future?
Title: Re: What database or program should I use ?
Post by: behindthefrogs on Friday 14 September 12 12:14 BST (UK)
I don't understand how you can use Ancestry for a one name study.  By its very nature a one name study causes you to want to store details of a large number of people who initially are not linked into families.  As your study progresses these gradually build up into family groups.  When you discover a link between two of these groups setting that up in most tree programs including Ancestry becomes a major problem.

People unfortunately confuse a one name study, where all instances of the name are recorded, with limiting their own family tree to a single surname.
Title: Re: What database or program should I use ?
Post by: mike175 on Saturday 15 September 12 23:33 BST (UK)
I don't understand how you can use Ancestry for a one name study.  By its very nature a one name study causes you to want to store details of a large number of people who initially are not linked into families.  As your study progresses these gradually build up into family groups.  When you discover a link between two of these groups setting that up in most tree programs including Ancestry becomes a major problem.

People unfortunately confuse a one name study, where all instances of the name are recorded, with limiting their own family tree to a single surname.

I don't pretend to have a true "One Name Study", but I do record every instance I find of one particular surname in my tree. Using RootsMagic software it is easy to record all the details of an individual and later to add in parent/child links, etc as and when they become available, thus fitting the person into the tree in the appropriate place. In fact I have many unconnected individuals in my RM database, and they show up in indexes, searches, etc, just sitting there waiting for me to find out where/if they belong in my family.

RootsMagic, as most genealogy software, is a database programme. It has facilities to merge individual records as well as link them in various ways. No major problem there ;)

But I certainly wouldn't trust all my data to an online tree, idiot proof or not, without at least taking regular backup copies.

Mike.

Title: Re: What database or program should I use ?
Post by: AshbrookCheshire on Sunday 16 September 12 18:51 BST (UK)
Indeed.

I stored everyone with the Ashbrook or Ashbrooke surname from the 1911 census as individual people on Ancestry, and then as I've moved back through other censuses I've connected those people up. I've only just started my study, so 'only' about 900 people so far.

It does mean that I have a number of 'unconnected individuals', hopefully they might eventually connect!
Title: Re: What database or program should I use ?
Post by: Gary2017 on Friday 03 March 17 05:57 GMT (UK)
Hello,

I am also looking for a reliable database for ONS. I am currently using Custodian 4 and there are many glitches in the database and I feel it is too unstable to use.

Could you recommend any databases for the recording of large amounts of data regarding One-Name studies? Either PC or Mac would be acceptable.

Thank you very much. 

Kind Regards, Gary

Can anybosy suggest a good genealogical programme for One Name Studies?
Title: Re: What database or program should I use ?
Post by: mike175 on Friday 03 March 17 10:03 GMT (UK)
Gary,
I've been using RootsMagic for more than 10 years and found it completely reliable. The only time I've needed to revert to a saved backup was when I did something silly, and no database is immune to that. It is quite easy to just enter a list of unconnected individuals or import them as a GEDCOM file and subsequently add the connections and extra information as you find them. It is a very powerful program with many ways to display the information, pedigrees, descendant trees, etc. There is a free version available with more limited features if you want to try it. I don't have shares in RootsMagic  ;D just many years of happily using it after trying most others.

RM is based on a SQLite database with multiple tables so it is possible to manipulate data outside the program, but I would only do this with a copy, not the original for obvious reasons.

Hope this helps. As with most software the differences may take a while to get used to.

Mike.
Title: Re: What database or program should I use ?
Post by: Gary2017 on Friday 03 March 17 18:39 GMT (UK)
Hi Mike,

Thank you for your reply and for letting me know about RootsMagic and how well it has worked for you.  I tried it many years ago but I will definitely give it another try.  Ten years of being reliable, for you, is a pretty good track record.  I have a lot of unrelated data that I need to enter into a reliable database for future research and this sounds as if it might work.

Thank you again!  ;-)

Regards,
Gary



Gary,
I've been using RootsMagic for more than 10 years and found it completely reliable. The only time I've needed to revert to a saved backup was when I did something silly, and no database is immune to that. It is quite easy to just enter a list of unconnected individuals or import them as a GEDCOM file and subsequently add the connections and extra information as you find them. It is a very powerful program with many ways to display the information, pedigrees, descendant trees, etc. There is a free version available with more limited features if you want to try it. I don't have shares in RootsMagic  ;D just many years of happily using it after trying most others.

RM is based on a SQLite database with multiple tables so it is possible to manipulate data outside the program, but I would only do this with a copy, not the original for obvious reasons.

Hope this helps. As with most software the differences may take a while to get used to.

Mike.
Title: Re: What database or program should I use ?
Post by: mike175 on Friday 03 March 17 21:00 GMT (UK)
I just checked my RootsMagic stats and find I have roughly 3,500 relatives in my personal tree and 500 unconnected individuals all in the same database. However you can have several separate databases and even 'drag and drop' individuals from one to the other if you wish, it is a very user friendly interface.

Most ONS enthusiasts do seem to use Custodian but I found that interface rather old fashioned. I just downloaded the free demo of version 4 today out of curiosity and although it has been improved since I last tried it I still don't think I'll be giving up RM.

Mike.
Title: Re: What database or program should I use ?
Post by: casram on Friday 03 March 17 21:45 GMT (UK)
Hi
Like Mike I also use Rootsmagic for my ONS -have done so for over 10 years and find it is very easy to use and it happily accepts unconnected individuals. I like the fact that I can easily join people to the appropriate family later as I find links ( or unlink them when I discover mistakes !) You can add notes to people and also pictures, scans of documents and other media.
I looked at Custodian but could see that it offered anything I could not do with Rootsmagic.

Carolyn
Title: Re: What database or program should I use ?
Post by: Gary2017 on Saturday 04 March 17 00:21 GMT (UK)

Hi Carolyn,

Thank you very much for your message! The way you described how RootsMagic works with the "unconnected" individuals and being able to make notes is exactly what I am looking for.  You described perfectly what I am looking for! I will be downloading RM tonight and I"m looking forward to using it.  This group has been great and thanks to you and Mike, I now feel confident which program will be best for me. Thanks again! :)


Hi
Like Mike I also use Rootsmagic for my ONS -have done so for over 10 years and find it is very easy to use and it happily accepts unconnected individuals. I like the fact that I can easily join people to the appropriate family later as I find links ( or unlink them when I discover mistakes !) You can add notes to people and also pictures, scans of documents and other media.
I looked at Custodian but could see that it offered anything I could not do with Rootsmagic.

Carolyn