How do I narrow searches?
I am wanting to find references to the WRIGHTSON name in Yorkshire that are to be found as Full-Text Search Results, but don't seem able to cut-out results that I don't wish to see. Any advice appreciated as to how I can, in this example, not have "Durham" records appearing in the results list, as well as confining results to those that just include "John Wrightson"?
Answers
-
@Paul W I usually stick with just keywords vice using Name/Place searches, but that's just me… Anyway, I'd use +"john wrightson" as keyword phrase. The -durham you are using will help a bit, but not always. Add any other related keywords such as spouse and/or children's given names. Same with parents. Systematically perform searches adding a + symbol for each one… e.g. Keywords +"john wrightston" +sarah then +"john wrightson" +thomas etc etc. Use same process for any other distinctive keywords such as a place/locale. For each of these searches apply appropriate date/place filters. Hope that helps a bit….
0 -
Thank you for that advice. It's a shame that there are not "Exact" search options (as in the "main" FamilySearch search pages) and the -durham doesn't work, as is the implication under "Search Tips".
It should certainly be easier to reduce the number of results from how things currently work, but I have found this difficulty in ancestry and newspaper website searches, too, so not a unique problem!
0 -
@Paul W I find the filter bubbles at the top restrict to location much better than the Place box on the right.
2 -
@Áine Ní Donnghaile Great insights! I too like those filters.
1
