Ancestry family trees full of lazy errors

[BushInn1746]

I'm thinking of Y-DNA.
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[ThrelfallYorky]

Crazy! Does anyone take it seriously?
TY

[coombs]

There are some lines where I have virtually given up even though most of these particular brickwall ancestors were alive in the 1841 census, but were the famous "not born in county"of residence ones and whom died before the 1851 census. There will be many other genealogists in the same boat as me for these ancestors. Sometimes it may be an idea to admit defeat, but never totally give up hope. You could be trying to chase up any potential leads and find it is just a wild goose chase.

The brickwalls tend to increase when you get into the 1700s.

I have seen many trees on Ancestry where someone was said to be born in Norwich in 1756 but was baptised in Bristol in 1757, and the same person was buried in 1819 but did not die until 1824, and their parents were born 1600.

[Wexflyer]

and the same person was buried in 1819 but did not die until 1824

Pre-need. It's a thing.

[coombs]

Buried in 1819 and died in 1824. Maybe the Ancestry tree owner had been watching too much Kill Bill. 

[MollyC]

Someone had my step great-grandmother dying three years before I was born.  The trouble is, I remember going to tea at her house!  (She died when I was 4¹/₂.)

[Andrew Tarr]

There will be many other genealogists in the same boat as me for these ancestors. Sometimes it may be an idea to admit defeat, but never totally give up hope. You could be trying to chase up any potential leads and find it is just a wild goose chase.

The picture tends to get steadily fuzzier before 1837, especially if your surnames are relatively common, increasing the chance of incorrect matches (I am lucky in having rather unusual surnames on my tree).  It just means you have to be increasingly critical and thorough !

[jaywit]

'There are some lines where I have virtually given up even though most of these particular brickwall ancestors were alive in the 1841 census, but were the famous "not born in county"of residence ones and whom died before the 1851 census. There will be many other genealogists in the same boat as me for these ancestors. Sometimes it may be an idea to admit defeat, but never totally give up hope. You could be trying to chase up any potential leads and find it is just a wild goose chase.'

Coombs  exactly this. I have one who family stories say was from Scotland, 1841 doesn't say 'S' but just not born in county, seeing as the village he lived in was very close to the borders of 2 other counties easily possible but I can't find an obvious birth close by. Again he died before 1851.  Following his wife doesn't help, she was a Smith and she had died before 1841

[coombs]

'There are some lines where I have virtually given up even though most of these particular brickwall ancestors were alive in the 1841 census, but were the famous "not born in county"of residence ones and whom died before the 1851 census. There will be many other genealogists in the same boat as me for these ancestors. Sometimes it may be an idea to admit defeat, but never totally give up hope. You could be trying to chase up any potential leads and find it is just a wild goose chase.'

Coombs  exactly this. I have one who family stories say was from Scotland, 1841 doesn't say 'S' but just not born in county, seeing as the village he lived in was very close to the borders of 2 other counties easily possible but I can't find an obvious birth close by. Again he died before 1851.  Following his wife doesn't help, she was a Smith and she had died before 1841

One of my lot is James Smith c1791-1849. Not born in county in 1841 census which was in Oxfordshire and he lived in Oxford city. Another one is Sarah Bradford, previously Coombs, unknown maiden surname who died in Marylebone London in Feb 1851 and "not born in county" in 1841 of Middlesex. The 3rd ancestor alive in 1841 and "not born in county" who died before 1851 was Matthew Bradford, who died in 1849 in Southchurch, Essex. I have a feeling he was from Suffolk or Cambridgeshire originally.