I was a trunker but now a brancher. When finding a name on the census I tend to follow that person and their family. I recently followed my Grt Grt Uncle's wife and daughters from 1841 to 1901. I mentioned this in a letter to my Dad's cousin who is now 85 and she said oh I knew the Edith you mention very well, and so gleened more information on Edith's family, sending me down the branch to a twig. My friend now has over 18,000 names in his tree, so he's definitely branched out.
Su