Updating My Tree ~ Duplicates

I have been working as much as possible on my "new" Family Tree. I am proud to say that I have accomplished more in the last couple months than I did during 6 months of last year. I still have a long way to go, but feel confident I could be caught up by the end of the year! Can't get lead astray though...

I am finding problems now though at this stage of my project. I have noticed duplicate entries and have fixed five of them. Because I am re-entering from different sources, I am sure this was inevitable. Those duplicates that I have fixed were fairly easy to determine as duplicates. The names were exactly the same and they were married to the same person, had the same siblings, etc.

I have run the "duplicate people" report in Family Tree Maker 2 several times. Some of the duplicates that come up, aren't even close to being duplicates. Others, as in those that I fixed, made sense. The issue now for me? I have found what looks like duplicates in my tree, but did not show up in the report. Confuses me!

My best guess is that these same name people have different birth and or death dates, as well as other varying information, so they didn't show up on the report. One name in my tree is actually listed 5 times, Ole Olson. I believe two of those to be duplicates, so there should only be four in my tree, at this point and time anyway. Some Norwegian names are spelled a bit different in various records, so I feel there are a couple more duplicates from that.

As I have said, I fixed a few duplicates that were rather easy to spot. Some became so complicated though, that I decided to make a list and look more closely at them when I finish entering the report I am currently working with. 

The list I have thus far has 19 individuals, and if you add the 5 I already fixed, that totals 24 potential errors. This tree is suppose to be my so called "perfect tree." I will never have a perfect tree, this I know. I am attempting to make it a "more perfect" tree than I had. I have learned to be more precise and consistent with my entries and source everything I enter. 

I am not happy that I have at least 19 entries to re-verify already. I suppose I thought I would catch these things as I entered them, but as the tree gets bigger and bigger I find that is almost impossible.

Oh well, this is why I am redoing my tree, to fix all errors! I am glad I ran the duplicate people report so I can fix those errors now! I think after I work the next line in my family tree I will again run this report, it is actually a great tool.

Do you ever run your "duplicate people" report? Do you find you have the same people entered twice? I am curious to see how many of these 19 duplicate names are really duplicates!

Thanks for stopping by! 

Wishing you success in all of your genealogical treasure hunts! 




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