ScotlandsPeople trick/hack

Question

I just noticed that if you search the ScotlandsPeople index for a death record of a woman and find a promising one, but no mother's surname or maiden is given, you can do the following.

1. Note the reference number for the record of interest.

2. Search again just using the forename (leave surname blank) and the exact year of date and registration location for the death record you found

3. Use the "find" command in your browser and search for the record number. I've done this twice today, and both times came up with the maiden name without having to buy the record.

For instance, I was looking for an Elizabeth Thomson who reportedly died in Old Machar, Aberdeenshire shortly after the 1891 census. Searching for deaths there, I found an Elizabeth Thomson of a reasonable age who died in 1891, but I didn't know if she was the right one. So I searched again just "Elizabeth", no surname, and year range 1891 to 1891, district Old Machar, and there were *two* records listed with the id 168/2 545, one for Elizabeth Thomson and one for Elizabeth Mill.

Probably some of you know this, but I was happy to realize it. It will save me some money!

Comments

Thanks for posting this.  I will have to check it out.

---

Where do you use the registration location number?

---

ScotlandsPeople indexes the woman's death record both under her married name and her maiden name, when known. Both index entries use the same *reference number", i.e., 168/2 545, or something like that. The registration district is the placename you put in the left side when you are searching. I'm not sure what you mean by "registration location number" ... the 168 in the above example reference number identifies the registration district. Is that what you mean? It's just part of the whole reference id for the record -- the part before the slash.

If you search, say, "Elizabeth" in a specific year and in a certain district, it will probably produce a list of many records. But they come in pairs, both the same reference number, and when you identify those pairs, the two surnames provided are, in some order, the maiden surname and the maiden surname of the same Elizabeth.

---

Yes this a very handy way of confirming the death of a married woman in Scotland, I have never seen other countries register women under both names but would be interesting to find out.

Scotland's records in general also have a wealth of information on them compared to ENgland and Wales.  For example on marriage and death records you will get the information for both parents  whilst in England and Wales you only get the fathers name on marriage records and no parental information on a death.  If you are looking for an ancestor with a very common name the absence of this information can make it difficult.

Since the change in fees at ScotlandsPeople a few years ago it has also meant you can actually find out a lot more information using the indexes for free where as previously you had to pay a credit per page of indexes you viewed.

---

I have a feeling I'm using a different part of Scotland's People. I was using 'Search For People' that took me to 'Statutory Registers' ~ not the screen format to work, perhaps. Now today I've started with the 'People Search' at the top of screen and had great success with tracking down great-great-great-grandparents back in the mid-1700's. Then I thought I'd never be able to trace children of these relatives but I found I could go to 'Birth Searches', put in the surname of said ancestors and a span of years from their marriage through child-bearing years and the parish or town they lived. I went from 13,000+ hits on a surname search to the exact records of their six children ~ parents' names, birth dates, place of birth, etc. Now I can apply the same approach to other relatives. Good to know!

---

I always select "Advanced People Search" so I can target a specific type of record and time period. It is the "Statutory Registers" and specifically deaths I was referring to where you can use the trick to determine both the maiden and married names before deciding to buy a record.

---

Yes its a good way to find children only piece of advice I would give using that search method is be careful not to limit searches too much, in the OPR Records spelling issues/variants are notorious due to literacy etc so its always worth also doing a general search as well as the more exact one gives you better options of finding those pesky spelling variants.

Answer 1

I wonder if this couldn't be used for other sites/records as well. Thanks for sharing

Answer 2

There has been recent changes to the Scotland people website. ( For the Census 1921) When doing searches make sure you go to the right place depending on dates pre and post 1855 . The site is not seperating and  in some cases and dumps your request. great site . But i would say that Ach aye!

Answer 3

Thanks, good tip. I definitely have a few persons to try that on.