Standardised Place Names

SteveG787

I have recently started using the Family Tree on FamilySearch and have come across a familiar problem. The standard unit of both government and religion below that of County for the British Isles is a Parish. This is an area of land, not a town village or any other populated place, but for many genealogical records before 1855 in Scotland this is the source, the parish register.

Many of my ancestors were born in the parish of Newton which is in Midlothian in Scotland. There are 9 entries for Newton in the FamilySearch standardised place name database, none of which are correct. The parish name is Newton and just Newton and has been since the sixteenth century ie before parish records began there.

Technically the "Newton Village" entry is correct as it is a populated place, but this is the entry that drives me crazy the most. It is the name of a modern(ish) housing estate built in the mid twentieth century containing just 100 houses and yet I have seen it assigned to records of the seventeenth century.

I have tried to suggest a new place name but there is no category for parish so didn't get very far.

How does one go about suggesting a new parish name ?

Also, the parish names that are available (6 versions of Newton and Woolmet with varying dates and orders) are also dubious. According to a respected authority ("The Parishes of Medieval Scotland" by Ian B. Cowan) when the parishes were combined in the thirteenth century they were known as Woolmet but this was supplanted by Newton in the sixteenth century. Even if "Newton and Woolmet" was correct how can six different versions be so, surely only one version should be allowed as the standard.

Surely the point of Standardised Place Names is to reduce confusion not propagate it, or worse add more.

Any suggestions how to correct this or at least add the correct name as an option ?

Áine Ní Donnghaile

Welcome @SteveG787

As you read through the posts in this community, you will find many of your fellow researchers who sigh in exasperation over the placename issue.

You may find this article helpful: https://www.familysearch.org/en/help/helpcenter/article/how-do-i-request-a-new-place-in-the-database-of-standardized-places

SteveG787

Thanks Áine,

I didn't get far trying to add a place myself, due to the category problem, but I'll send an email to the address mentioned and see what happens.