Better Search for Family Tree

JaniceMineer1

Can you please make an easy way to just search for a person on my tree? I sometimes forget where an ancestor is on my tree, even if I know they are on my tree maybe only a couple generation or so back. Usually I can't remember which line they are on. To try to find their name it would take forever to scroll up through the lines of my tree to find them, especially if I am not sure which line they are in. I know I can use the find feature on my internet page (upper right corner, three dots) to see a name on my page but if their line isn't even opened up it won't find it on the page. Can you help me out?

And just to be clear, I am not talking about using Search to look for a new name. And if I put the relative's name in that I am trying to find into Search, the whole database of a million people with that name comes up. I just want my great aunt Mary who is already connected to me!

Even if you could make it so I could export all my names into an Excell sheet, that would be helpful.

Thank you.

Julia Szent-Györgyi

I'm pretty sure this is the most frequently requested feature here, but it is also the one that's based on the least complete understanding of the concept of a shared tree.

In a shared tree, there's nothing about a particular profile that marks it as being part of a particular user's family. To search just "your tree" -- for some value of "your" -- the algorithm would either need to generate the equivalent of a full tree download before each search, or it would need to do the search and then run a relationship check against every result. Either approach very quickly becomes astronomically expensive in terms of processor or server loads.

That said, there are a few techniques available for limiting your search to just the relevant portion of the shared tree.

If you just want to search your direct ancestors, you can use the fan chart and your browser's "find on page" function.

If you have made an edit to the profile you're looking for, you can use My Contributions. The list can be searched by name.

And finally, you can "follow" profiles by clicking the star. Your Following list can be searched by name, and you will be notified if anyone makes a change to a profile on your list.

PaulHarrison61

I also requested a search ability in perigee page. As the nature of this so called improvement request area. it was stopped by a non developer who had did not have the curtsey to understand what was asked. next they will say this breaks their warped code of conduct and edit all the real meaning out of the request! best of luck in trying to deal with the impossible

Paul W

@Julia Szent-Györgyi

I have only used FIND and Following options in the past, so decided to attempt to find an ancestor by inputting their name under My Contributions. Disappointingly, in spite of my having made changes to his profile, his name does not show.

Obviously, nobody can replicate this exact issue (using my ancestor's name), but I wonder if you have any suggestions as to why I am not finding him using this method? (In fact, I have two individuals with the exact same name on my Following list, yet the name is not being recognised.)

I have now tried several more examples and all of these are appearing under My Contributions. Could this missing name be due to be some kind of bug?

Here's my example:

No problem yet found in using any other name (even other Michaels or Millers) - just this one.

Paul W

@JaniceMineer1

Do you not have your own family tree program? If not, you can use one of FamilySearch's partner programs (e.g. RootsMagic) to import your family branches from Family Tree, then use its Search function to quickly find your relatives. Similarly, I use the index of my Family Tree Maker software as a quick way of finding a name. The full detail I've added to an individual's profile enables me to get straight to my relative / ancestor using Family Tree's FIND.

genthusiast

@JaniceMineer1

You can sync your family tree to a third party tree management application - which does have such a search function. The previous sentence's bold text will take you to the Solution Gallery where a number of these free applications may be able to fulfill your request (I don't know in particular if the free versions will all allow searching the GEDCOM - but if not the application generally has a small fee which could unlock such a feature. Just look through the feature lists for the capability and pick one that does what you want. This could be a research project to document the feature for such requests - since it is becoming quite a popular one. I wish Community would combine/vote on one request rather than request it multiple times.)

Of course the option within Family Tree (inside FamilySearch) - would be to add all your near relations to your Following list and there is a search function there. Such could be a Project that you mark all near relations on your Following list. There is a limit of 4000 people that you can follow - but this generally would create a good list of near relations ( I can't keep track of near that many).

Áine Ní Donnghaile

@Paul W

If your Michael Miller has a middle name or a middle initial, his profile won't show if you input both first and surnames all at once.

Try inputting only part of his name, and letting the Contributions page populate. For example, David Elder is one of my 4th GGF. I also have worked on many other people named David and with the first, middle or surname Elder. If I just type David and wait a moment, My Contributions page will populate with many names, David Elder among them, although I haven't edited his profile in almost a year:

Paul W

@Áine Ní Donnghaile

Thank you for your response, but there is no middle name involved and I have searched on "Michael" and "Miller" and the respective lists produced appear to offer every Michael I have on my Following list and every Miller, too - just not Michael Miller!

Here are the two individuals of that name, shown to be on my Following list:

I have contributed to both profiles (added vitals data, etc.), so can't see any reason for them not appearing under My Contributions.

Áine Ní Donnghaile

@Paul W Have you checked your settings in the Options section on My Contributions?

Paul W

@Áine Ní Donnghaile

Yes, have tried changing settings, but still no Michael Miller. Incidentally, a Michael Rowntree Miller appears in the list and - as advised - so does every other "Michael" or "Miller" whose IDs I have edited - just not the two individuals in question. I even tried in another browser just now.