Refine your search

Refining Search Options
You may need to refine your search if you have difficulties finding a relative in the census.
To refine a search is simplicity itself. There are several options available. The easiest way is to use a "less is more" approach. Just because you can enter information in every search criteria doesn't mean you have to.

Try experimenting by leaving different boxes blank or consider an alternative spelling of a forename/surname and see how the results list can change.

Suggested search criteria
Using the following suggestions or some ideas of your own may help find a missing relative

Enter the following information;

Forename, approximate year and place of birth

Surname, approximate year and place of birth

Forename and/or surname plus county of birth

Forename and name of resident city/town/village or parish

Spellings of names
Many times a name is incorrectly recorded, some examples are given below;

Anne could be, Anne, Annie or simply the initial A
George could be, Geo, G or Jorge
William could be, Willium, Wilham, Willy, Wm or W

Similarly consider the way a surname may be recorded;

Dixon could be Dickson, Dicksun etc
Brown could be Browne, Brawn, Brawne etc

Wildcard Searches

To use a wildcard search there must be at least three characters before any wildcard

Use more characters before the wildcard. For example, use Able* instead of Abl*.

Specify both a first and last name or a partial first and last name.

Try using the single-character wildcard "?" rather than the multiple-character wildcard "*".
(e.g., using "Hans?n" matches both "Hansen" and "Hanson" rather than using "Hans*").

Back to Census Search