FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

Please note that your main point of contact is the County Co-ordinator. This is a project venture, contrubited to by many individuals, and we are all part of that, but it does need some degree of "central" guidance, rather than lots of individuals "doing their own thing".

CONTENTS

• General questions
• The databases and what they contain
• Tips for searches
• Questions from volunteer transcribers
• Questions from those thinking of volunteering to transcribe data
• Statement of aims and objectives
• Additional questions relating to Family History Societies and County Record Offices

Also see: Volunteering for the project, which includes data entry information

I have a question not answered here

• You can consult The FreeREG Discussion Forums and/or join the FreeREG-L mailing list for information on other peoples experiences or to ask a question of others who are transcribing data.

General Questions

• What is FreeREG?
• Are transcripts of parish registers available to view or download?
• Will Scotland and Northern Ireland be included?
• Can I purchase a transcript of a register?
• How do I search FreeREG
• Quality Control

The databases and what they contain

• What  kind of data is in the database
• Is there information in the original registers which is not in the database
• Why doesn't FreeREG have a full literal transcript of the register?
• How reliable are the records in the database?
• What counties and parishes are included in the database?
• Is data from Non-Conformist church registers included?
• Is a Church and a Parish the same thing?
• Why does the database contain "Place" and "Church", and not "Parish"

Tips for searches in the database

• Surname variations
• First name variations
• Examples of searches

Questions from volunteer transcribers

• How do I volunteer?
• I have already transcribed some registers - can FreeREG use this data?

Questions from those thinking of volunteering to transcribe data

• I have a list of surnames from a register, is this enough?
• I have a copy of the IGI. Can I transcribe data from that?
• I have extracted records from a register of just my family, do you want this?
• I have prints of just some odd pages from a register. Can I transcribe from these?
• Do I need permission to transcribe data from a film of the parish register?
• I want to help by transcribing a register; but where do I start?

This page will be added to as common questions arise.

Copyright ©2000-6 FreeREG
We make no warranty whatsoever as to the accuracy and completeness of the FreeREG data. Last update
11 April 2006 / RN/DKD/