1: Navigate Your Tree   2: Edit Person Information   3: Add or Remove People   4: Explore Hints, Merge Records                      Translation Tips    Print Friendly and PDF












Project 2: Findmypast Tree


Goal 4: Explore Hints, Merge Records



Goal 4: Use hints for people in your tree and merge records when needed.


This Goal helps you evaluate record hints from Findmypast. as well as merge records for duplicate ancestors when needed.


Choices


A View and review hints for an individual.


Summary
  1. Find a person in Pedigree view or Family view with an orange number near the name. This indicates there are record hints available for the person.
  2. Click the orange number to display the hints. (You can also click View Hints in the person's Profile.) A confidence percentage is shown for each hint, between your tree and the hint source.
  3. To review the hint, click Review and skip to Reviewing Hints below.

Reviewing Hints
  1. Review the record hint information on the left of the screen, and then the information for the person from your tree on the right. Identical items are marked with a "Match" banner; non-identical items are marked with a "Different" banner; and items found in the hint but not in your tree are marked with a "New" banner.
  2. To see source information for the hint, click the document icon next to the person's name (upper left).
  3. To see a transcript of the record hint source, click View Transcript. This opens a new window where you can view the image (View original record), add the record to your tree, or print it.
  4. When you view the image, you can use the options and controls at the top of the page to do the following:
    • Add the record to the tree
    • Print the record
    • Download the record
    • Rotate the image to the right or left
    • Recenter the image
    • Display the image in full-screen mode
    • Use the "More" button to change the image brightness or contrast, or invert the color
    • Change the zoom percentage
    • See information and copyright details about the image (upper left)
  5. The bottom of the screen cotains thumbnail images of the entire record set. You can
    • Move to the next or previous image (left or right arrows)
    • Click Transcripts to see transcripts instead of the record images
    • Click Close filmstrip to hide the thumbnails

  6. If the two sides of the screen do not represent the same person, under "Are these the same person?" (bottom of the page) click No, Reject (bottom of screen) and try another hint.
  7. If you are not sure it's the same person, click Maybe? (bottom of screen) and then click Continue. The hint will be stored under the "Maybe" listing on your Hints page. If the hint information came from another Findmypast tree, you can click "Message the tree owner" (upper left).
  8. If the two versions match, click Yes, Next step. This attaches the record to the person in your tree. Then proceed to Choice B below.

Viewing All Hints in the Tree
  1. To view all hints in the tree, at the top of the screen click Hints for this tree (Family view) or My Hints (Pedigree view). As you scroll down, more hints (if available) will appear.
  2. You can click Pending hints, Saved hints, Rejected hints, or Accepted hints to see details for your hint categories.
  3. To sort the hints, click the "Order by" box (right side) and make a selection.
  4. To filter the hints by record information, type one or more keywords in the "Filter by hint type" box.
  5. To review a hint, click Review and follow the steps in Reviewing Hints above.

Resources
  1. For more information on using hints in Findmypast, watch the video or read the article.

    FMP—Build Your Family Tree with Hints—1:30 - 2017


    FMP—How to Use Your Findmypast Tree; Hints - 2020

Exercises



BMerge hint information into your tree.


If there are differences between the record and your tree for an individual, you can merge the differences (changes) from the record into your tree. Note: Before starting this Choice, be sure you have clicked Yes, Next step in Choice A above.

Summary
  1. If you want to decline the hint updates, click Skip merging (lower right). In the dialog that appears, click Skip merging again.
  2. To update all fact differences into your person's tree, click Update this person.
  3. To update a single fact difference into your person's tree, click the arrow next to the fact difference. To undo the update, click the same arrow again.
  4. To add the source to the person in your tree, click the three-dot circle (right side) and select "Add source".
  5. The screen may show record information for additional family members. You can scroll down to see the hint information and
  6. Click Save changes to tree. There is no undo feature for this update, but you can manually change the new information in your tree if desired.
Exercises


CLearn about sourcing and why it's important.


Summary
  1. Read these articles to learn about the importance of adding sources for your family history work.

    FS—What are the benefits of adding sources to Family Tree? - 2023
    GC—Sourcing: Key to Family History Detective Work

  2. This article discusses the use of sources in FamilySearch Family Tree.

    JT—Digging into Sources in the FamilySearch Family Tree, Part 1 - 2017

  3. Watch these videos to get an inside look at using sources in family history.

    AAC—Sources: A Family History's Raw Material—8:45
    AAC—Understand Your Sources by Answering Five Questions—10:46

  4. Learn about the basic types of sources you can use.

    AJC— Understanding Genealogy Sources - 2018

  5. Learn how to determine accuracy of information in source records.

    GC—Determining Accuracy of Information
    TH—Verifying Online Genealogy Sources - 2019

  6. Here are some tips on sorting fact from fiction in sources.

    GTV—Fact vs. Fiction vs. Sources—6:20 - 2018



    AJC: 5 Things to Ask about Genealogy Information - 2018


Genealogical Proof Standard
  1. Understand the Genealogical Proof Standard for sources.

    FS—Genealogical Proof Standard, Part 1 - 2016

  2. Ensure that your research meets the Genealogical Proof Standard.

    FS—Genealogical Proof Standard, Part 2 - 2016

  3. Learn how to apply the Genealogical Proof Standard to sources you are evaluating.

    FS—Genealogical Proof Standard, Part 3 - 2016

  4. Here's an overview of the GPS and a handy flowchart of the processes it uses.

    GE—Genealogical Proof Standard - 2022

Exercises