Use of a Wildcard to Search



Person Researching on a ComputerUsing the right search techniques can save you a good deal of time. Once you have done any amount of research you will see there are various spellings for given names and surnames.  Then there can even be differences in spelling of certain hometowns. Of course trying to figure dates for births-marriages and death can be quite challenging.

So by using the symbol for a ‘wildcard’ in a search, you can find all the possibilities. The wildcard is a placeholder for any sequence of characters or words in a search.  Any type of search engine (Google, Yahoo, Bing, Ancestry.com, Rootsweb, Genforum, National Archives, etc.) accepts this wildcard symbol * – the star key or asterisk.  Using this symbol when you are not sure of a given name’s spelling can have the search engine find all the possibilities, even those you didn’t think of.

Say an ancestor’s given name was Mamie, but you didn’t know this for sure.  You believed it was Mary.  Putting in the keyword Ma*m*y or Ma*y* with a couple of the asterisks will give you all the variations from Mary, Marie, Marry, Maria, Marianne, Marian to Mamie.

Note two asterisks were used.  If the name is longer a third one could be used where you were uncertain.  Just don’t place the asterisk at the beginning, that is too broad a search.

If you are unsure of just one letter in a spelling then the symbol ? can be used representing only one indeterminate letter.

When looking for hometown, say the town’s full name was ‘Port Saint Lucie’ but all you know was Port Lucie.  Place that asterisk in the middle to see if there is another name with it; ‘Port * Lucie’, so it can be used even for a word missing in a phrase or name.  It is especially handy for middle names.  You only know your great uncle by ‘Joe Martin’ but by using ‘Joe * Martin’ plus the state or hometown you should be able to narrow down the search.

For dates place a plus/minus symbols and a number representing the number additional range of years.  This would be 1864 +/-3 in the search box along with a surname or an ancestor’s name.

Search engines and databases’ search engines do vary, with some allowing multiple use of the asterisk in a name or keyword and others allow one asterisk. Experiment, the search box will let you know what it will accept.

< Return To Blog I am often to blogging and i really appreciate your content. The article has really peaks my interest. I am going to bookmark your site and keep checking for new information.
Marine Pina Urrútia 19/04/12


Keep functioning ,remarkable job!
Horace 19/04/12


Exactly where is the facebook like link ? Go to: http://www.facebook.com/Familytree.com
Andres 19/04/12


To go: http://www.facebook.com/Familytree.com
alice 19/04/12


Discovered your article incredibly fascinating certainly. I genuinely loved examining it so you make rather some excellent details. I'll bookmark this web page for that foreseeable future! Relly excellent post.
xbox 360 bundle with kinect 19/04/12


Youre so cool! I dont suppose Ive read anything like this before. So nice to find somebody with some original thoughts on this subject. realy thank you for starting this up. this website is something that is needed on the web, someone with a little originality. useful job for bringing something new to the internet!
Fulk 19/04/12


Brilliant Read!
19/04/12


Located your content incredibly interesting without a doubt. I definitely loved reading it so you make pretty some very good factors. I am going to bookmark this web site for your foreseeable future! Relly wonderful article.
xbox 360 memory unit 19/04/12


I really liked your article post.Much thanks again. Want more.
19/04/12


Hello! I simply would like to give an enormous thumbs up for the nice info you will have right here on this post. I will probably be coming back to your blog for more soon.
Saul Ordoyne 19/04/12


Enjoyed every bit of your article post.Really thank you! Great.
social 19/04/12


It's arduous to search out educated folks on this subject, but you sound like you know what you're talking about! Thanks
Germantown Business 19/04/12


This is my first time visiting your website, but I found a lot of interesting information!!
Jewell 19/04/12


Identified your short article extremely appealing in truth. I seriously really enjoyed looking at it and you also make quite some great points. I'll bookmark this web site for the future! Relly wonderful article.
19/04/12


Major thankies for the post.Thanks Again. Will read on...
seo 19/04/12


Hi there! I simply would like to give a huge thumbs up for the nice data you could have right here on this post. I shall be coming back to your weblog for extra soon.
Trena Grealish 19/04/12


Very good blog post.Much thanks again. Really Cool.
19/04/12


Identified your short article extremely intriguing indeed. I actually experienced reading through it and you simply make quite some great points. I will bookmark this web page for the long run! Relly fantastic write-up.
19/04/12


My spouse and I absolutely love your blog and find most of your post's to be just what I'm looking for. Does one offer guest writers to write content in your case? I wouldn't mind writing a post or elaborating on some of the subjects you write in relation to here. Again, awesome web log!
Roxie Sidney 19/04/12


Thank you for the kind words.
alice 19/04/12


Greetings! Very useful advice in this particular post! It is the little changes that will make the biggest changes. Many thanks for sharing!
19/04/12


I like this web blog very much so much great information. “Probably the most distinctive characteristic of the successful politician is selective cowardice.” by Richard Harris.
19/04/12


Located your content quite appealing in truth. I seriously liked reading through it and you simply make rather some great points. I'll bookmark this site to the potential! Relly fantastic article.
19/04/12


Thats some intresting information I would like to read more about it.
19/04/12


thank you for all your efforts that you have put in this. Very interesting info. “Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither.” by Clive Staples Lewis.
19/04/12


Heya i am for the first time here. I came across this board and I find It really useful & it helped me out a lot. I hope to give something back and aid others like you helped me.
Orpha Cepin 19/04/12


Found your short article very interesting in fact. I definitely appreciated reading it and you make rather some fantastic points. I'll bookmark this web page for that potential! Relly great post.
19/04/12


Definitely believe that that you said. Your favourite justification seemed to be on the internet the easiest thing to understand of. I say to you, I definitely get irked while other folks consider worries that they plainly do not know about. You managed to hit the nail upon the highest and defined out the whole thing with no need side effect , people can take a signal. Will probably be again to get more. Thank you!
sesli sohbet 19/04/12


It’s hard to find educated individuals on this subject, but you sound like you already know what you’re talking about! Thanks
Lyman Bendall 19/04/12


I like this web blog very much so much great information. “Probably the most distinctive characteristic of the successful politician is selective cowardice.” by Richard Harris.
sesli chat 19/04/12


I much like the precious info you supply in your own article content.I'll bookmark your website and test once again right here continually.I'm relatively absolutely sure I'll learn about loads of latest things best below! Excellent luck to the up coming!
19/04/12


This is the proper blog for anyone who desires to search out out about this topic. You understand so much its virtually laborious to argue with you (not that I actually would want…HaHa). You positively put a brand new spin on a topic thats been written about for years. Nice stuff, just great!
Samual Fuster 19/04/12




Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.