Ancestry not finding baptisms if you use birth date field - new?

[melba_schmelba]

Had several frustrations trying to find baptisms on Ancestry until I realized they don't seem to consistently link baptism date to birth date (as findmypast seem to). So if you are looking for a baptism around 1800, and click born 1800 +/- 5 years in the birth field, it often seems to deliver little or nothing. However if you use the 'Any' date field and narrow it to baptisms and whatever area you want, you should be able to find it.

[melba_schmelba]

The same applies for burials vs deaths  - if you do a search for deaths which cover the civil registration period, you will get these, but no burials. If you want burials you have to search on the 'Any' date field. I am pretty sure that wasn't always the case, and not a very helpful change imo, a lot of people are going to not find baptism and burials records because of this.

[Bookbox]

I believe it's a system fault, hopefully not an intentional change.

For example, in the database London, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812, dates entered in the Birth field appear to be blocking the search results. I can't speak for other databases and don't have time to check them systematically.

I reported it last week and received the usual anodyne reply, as expected. But please report it, if you can. The more people who raise it, the better chance there is of someone looking at it.

[Crumblie]

I bet it is still giving hints to people you are not interested in though. Ancestry needs to invest in some new mainframes and software writers.

[melba_schmelba]

I believe it's a system fault, hopefully not an intentional change.

For example, in the database London, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812, dates entered in the Birth field appear to be blocking the search results. I can't speak for other databases and don't have time to check them systematically.

I reported it last week and received the usual anodyne reply, as expected. But please report it, if you can. The more people who raise it, the better chance there is of someone looking at it.

Thanks for your input Bookbox, yes it was the London databases I was using but I think it is problem across the board for both baptisms and burials. How do you usually report, using the support centre?

https://support.ancestry.co.uk/s/

[Bookbox]

I believe it's a system fault, hopefully not an intentional change.

For example, in the database London, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812, dates entered in the Birth field appear to be blocking the search results. I can't speak for other databases and don't have time to check them systematically.

I reported it last week and received the usual anodyne reply, as expected. But please report it, if you can. The more people who raise it, the better chance there is of someone looking at it.

Thanks for your input Bookbox, yes it was the London databases I was using but I think it is problem across the board for both baptisms and burials. How do you usually report, using the support centre?

https://support.ancestry.co.uk/s/

Yes, I use the form on this page (for UK subscribers) ...
https://support.ancestry.co.uk/s/email-us