Lost Cousins

[Nick Carver]

When I heard about Lost Cousins, I thought it was a great idea. After all, if you enter the 1881 census details for one of your ancestors and somebody else does likewise, the reference number provides a straightforward means of connecting people. I found about 60 or so relatives to enter and since then, haven't heard a dicky bird, Does anybody else use Lost Cousins? What are your experiences? Perhaps I'm just unlucky or perhaps there aren't enough people using the site to make it worthwhile? In which case, I've wasted a lot of time and effort in entering all these people.

[Manchester Rambler]

I've entered details on the Lost Cousins site and so far heard nothing, but hope that something may come of it in the future.  The idea seems interesting, and as more people enter data, the chances of a match increase, so maybe we just need to wait a bit!

MR

[sandra70]

Hi

I entered my family's details on the site, but haven't had any contact from any long lost relatives at all -
although they did a great job of finding my family on the 1881 census, as I couldn't find them !

Hopefully one day someone will come forward.....

Sandra

[MarieC]

Like the rest of you - have entered names, heard nothing.

Still living in hope!

MarieC

[Salty]

I have entered all my known info on the site too, but have also refered several people.
The only contacts so far are known cousins that I refered.
I live in hopes of finding new ones as and when more people use the site.

Salty

[newbie]

I must have been lucky!
I entered just one ancestor and found a relative! We shared information and she was really helpful as she had been researching for a long time.
Must enter some more......
Newbie

[Nick Carver]

I suppose that if it has achieved anything, it has forced me to go as far as possible in finding people to include on the site, but I'm running out of options now. I started off with direct ancestors and their siblings and have extended it to include the cousins and second cousins of my direct ancestors. The thing is that there is just so much research to do that you have to draw the line somewhere and I'd rather research the direct line than fifth cousins three times removed (or whatever it might be). Maybe when all the direct lines have hit brick walls ....

[Ceci]

I thought it seemed a brilliant idea too, so entered my families details, but have yet to find a lost cousin. I still keep adding to it in the hope that my luck will change.

I have wondered whether 1881 is a bit too recent for there to be enough descendants to realistically find many others  also researching into the same family. All the people I have made contact with because they had registered their interest somewhere in the names I am researching have shared a common ancestor with me several decades before 1881, so there were more descendants and a greater chance of finding another family historian amongst them.

I have gained from Lostcousins in other ways. Not only has it made me look for and find more people in the 1881 census, I also found out about Rootschat from the Lostcousins website. Need I say more!

[Boongie Pam]

I like the simplist ideas the best and I have to say this is a very good one.  I entered quite a few north and south of the border and found 1 cousin who I had been in touch with before.

My guess it is low numbers at the moment.  It is the type of website I'll pop along to occassionally but not do too much with.

Pam