Q&A on Using the Black Sea German Database
By Gayla Aspenleiter
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What is the Black Sea German database?
How do I search the database for my ancestors?
Why does my ancestor's name show up more than once in the Black Sea database?
Is there a way to search different spellings of a surname?
What if the information I find is not correct?
Can I print reports and charts from the database?
How can I add my family data to the database?
What is the Black Sea German database?
The Black Sea German database is a compilation of family trees submitted by Black Sea German researchers. It also includes data from original records, like church records or obituaries, that have been extracted from those records by a volunteer. Each tree is identified by a title and includes the name and email address of the person who submitted the tree.
How do I search the database for my ancestors?
There are two ways to search the database - basic and advanced search.
Basic search:
* Search all trees at once
* Results provide name, date of birth, ID #, and tree
To use the basic search, you should:
* Type in at least a surname
* Click on name to view individual's information
Advanced search allows you to:
* Search all trees at once or specify a specific tree to search
* Define specific search criteria to narrow your search
* Use soundex to find alternate spellings of a surname
* Use dropdown menus to provide advancecd search options
Why does my ancestor's name show up more than once in the Black Sea database?
The database
contains family trees
from many people and
many sources. When you
find your ancestor,
his/her name may have
been submitted by
multiple researchers
(distant cousins of
yours!). His/her name
may also have been
listed in original
source material included
in the database, like
church records, death
notices, town history
book indexes, repression
lists. You’ll want to
check each tree that
lists your ancestor’s
name because each might
have a new nugget of
information you don’t
know. Plus it may help
you connect to those
distant cousins.
Is there a way to search different spellings of a surname?
Yes! Go to Advanced Search and type in the surname you are searching for. Select soundex of from the dropdown menu and then select search. Soundex provides phonetic searching and helps to find words where the exact spelling is unknown or there are multiple spellings. For example, the surname Meyer can also be written as Maier, Meier, Mayer, Maar, Maehr, Maher, etc.
What if the information I find in the database is not correct?
If the information in the database is not correct, you can suggest a change. While you are on the record of the person you would like to suggest a change for, click on the Suggest tab at the top of the page and a form for suggesting changes will appear. Your ancestor's name and ID number will appear at the top. You will need to fill in your name and email address at the top of the form and then your proposed change. Please include the source for the change that you are proposing so others can verify. Submit your suggestion and usually within 48 hours you will see your submitted change in the notes section of the individual you suggested the change for.
Can I print reports and charts from the database?
Yes, you can print numerous reports from the database by clicking on the Print button at the top of the page. You will want to make sure you select print preview before you send the page to the printer to ensure that the page will fit correctly on the paper. You many have to adjust the margins on the page to scale the informati0n to fit. You can print register reports, individual records, ancestor charts, descendant charts, relationship charts, and a timeline.
How can I add my family data to the database?
Send us a GEDCOM of your family data and we will add it to our database. Make sure you read our document called creating and submitting a GEDCOM and our sharing policy. Once we receive your GEDCOM, we will privatize it and then upload it to the database. The process can take up to 48 hours. If you make numerous changes to your database, you can resubmit it with the changes and we will replace the original file.
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