Too many possible ancestors

[Davedrave]

Thank you for the replies and suggestions. The marriage of William (which was found for me a while back -as per linked post- with kind help from RootsChat) took place in 1815, before names of parents were routinely recorded. It was at St Margaret’s, Leicester. Looking again at the 1851 Census, if William’s age is recorded accurately then I can see now that the St Margaret’s baptism in 1792 would fit his age best. And maybe the fact that it took place in the church William later married in, was relevant (and his bride would seem not to have been connected with this parish because she was from Liverpool).

Going back beyond William is going to be a different matter, I think.

Dave

[clairec666]

I have annotated my trees in several places with issues over identifying parentage. Sometimes I carry on with a "probable" line, if I am less certain I just leave it with a note.

I've carried on most of my "probable" lines.... I've got some nice rare surnames to work with, so I'm fairly sure that if they were not my ancestor they were probably a cousin or something.

If you're really lucky, you might find a will for one of your "possible" ancestors, and if your known ancestor is named on it, you can make a link.

[coombs]

I have Smith's.

I have a James Smith born c1792, he was living in Oxford, Oxfordshire in 1841, but not born in county. The Grim Reaper claimed him in 1849. One of the witnesses to his wedding though, Hannah Hawkes, has links to Marsh Gibbon, Buckinghamshire and there was a few Smith's there in the 1841 census who were tin plate workers. Hannah's aunty married a Joseph Smith in 1786 in Marsh Gibbon.

I am just awaiting full transcriptions of Marsh Gibbon PR's, especially marriages so I can get witness names as the FindMyPast Bucks transcriptions are from Bishops Transcripts where they usually omitted witness names for marriages post 1754 and just put a list of names and date of marriage. Witnesses to marriages is fundamental.

[Finley 1]

OH yes a WILL   the best thing I have found yet..... for my Thomas --- I had been searching for info on him for many years and then I found the Will

it was bursting with absolutely wonderful info.

xin

[lisalisa]

A problem I'm familiar with too 

Not always successful, but sometimes a newspaper search for a person can add a context or include family which may lead to identifying other family members.

I also look to see who their neighbours are in a census and where the siblings (if known) are and who's with them or near them.

Lisa

[coombs]

Wills are more common than you think. It was not just the rich and famous who left them, plenty of tradesmen and farmers, end even labourers left wills. On occasions though they do say just "to all my children" and not name names which can hamper research.

Poor law records can help.

[Pheno]

It really isn't just common names either.

I have an illegitimate ancestor christened as Isaac Tuppeny Austen to a Sarah Austen in 1789, and then found a bastardy order in the right place at the right time against an Isaac Tuppenny.

Oh good I thought I should be able to go further back here as this was a village in Sussex plus there is an 1801 census for this place.

Blow me down there were 4 Isaac Tuppeny's in the village of the right age range and nothing much to distinguish between them so I am none the wiser even with this detail.

Pheno

[coombs]

It really isn't just common names either.

I have an illegitimate ancestor christened as Isaac Tuppeny Austen to a Sarah Austen in 1789, and then found a bastardy order in the right place at the right time against an Isaac Tuppenny.

Oh good I thought I should be able to go further back here as this was a village in Sussex plus there is an 1801 census for this place.

Blow me down there were 4 Isaac Tuppeny's in the village of the right age range and nothing much to distinguish between them so I am none the wiser even with this detail.

Pheno

Seems likely the 4 Isaac's were cousins or 2nd cousins, which in the long run may help get back further if you know their father's names, and they may have been brothers or cousins. Although I am just surmising about them being related but it is likely.

I have an ancestor who, along with his 4 brothers in the 1600s all had a daughter called Susan. Although only 2 of the 5 Susan's lived past infancy.

[cristeen]

Apprenticeship indentures & Freemens' records can provide clues sometimes