Problem with 1851 census on Ancestry

[Daisypetal]

Using Ancestry.com I've just tried to look up someone in the 1851 census who was born in Dorset but lived in Hampshire at that time.

When I put England and Dorset into the main 'Search Records' boxes and then go to the 1851 census he does not show up, in fact no-one with that name shows up as living anywhere but Dorset, but if I then put Dorset into the birthplace County box, up he pops with a few others who were born in Dorset but living out of County. 

I've tried a couple of other names and Counties and always from the main search box, the 1851 census only then shows people living in the County, not if their born there and living somewhere else, but again then show them if the County is then added

I've never noticed this problem before and the it doesn't seem to apply to any other census. Please can someone tell me if it's always been like this or is this a new problem?

Daisy

[Koromo]

Hi

After you have put in the person's name, the next row of boxes has the word "Residence" above them. You can choose the county the person is living in from the drop down menu.

Further down, there is the "Birthplace" heading. You don't really need to put England in (I never do), but you can put the name of the birth county in the box alongside.

So you might search on Joe Bloggs, living in Buckinghamshire, but born in Norfolk. To really fine tune your search you could put in the town names as well.

Where appropriate, you do need to type the whole name of the county including the "shire" at the end.

Cheers
Koromo

[modem]

Try going to the 1851 Census page first and using the search boxes there because you can be more specific.

Good luck

[Daisypetal]

Hi,

Thanks for replying to my post, I do appreciate it, but I think I couldn't have explained my problem correctly. On re-reading my original post it does sound a bit confused, like me, at the moment

Here's an example of what I mean,

If I put the name John COWARD into the main 'Exact Search' boxes then put England and Dorset in the drop down boxes all the various search results come up.

Now if I go to the 1861 census all the John COWARDs living in Dorset are listed followed by others living in Hampshire (which is who I am looking for),    this seems to be the format for all the later census records.

Now if I go to the 1851 census ONLY the John COWARDs living in Dorset are listed, no others show at all. 

Only by then using the 1851 search box and putting Dorset in the Birthplace County box do I get to see all the John COWARDs born in Dorset no matter where they are living.

I've been using Ancestry for years but I'm not sure if this is a new problem or I've just not noticed it before as most of my research in 1851 has been in one County.

I also just wanted to draw attention to this, as other people searching from the main page may not find their ancestors as easily in  1851 as on the other census records.

Regards
Daisy

[Koromo]

Oh, I see, you're starting from the main Ancestry homepage and putting the search terms in there.

I'm afraid I never search from that page, I always go straight to the actual census that I want by choosing from the list underneath the 'Search for your Ancestors' box.

But you're right. I've followed what you do, and yes, the 1851 does seem to behave differently. 
Lord knows why! 


K.

[Daisypetal]

Thanks Koromo 

I was starting to think it was just me  

Daisy