Struggling to find an ancestor on Ancestry — even though you know they should be there? In this video, I’ll show you one of the most overlooked (and most powerful) search strategies on Ancestry: using the “Browse This Collection” side panel.
Most researchers rely entirely on the regular search box. But when records are mis-indexed, spelled phonetically, or simply not showing up in search results, this method allows you to manually browse the original microfilm roll — page by page — just like researchers did before online indexes existed.
You’ll learn how to:
• Access the “Browse This Collection” panel
• Navigate census collections efficiently
• Search entire counties and districts image-by-image
• Identify multiple people with the same name
• Locate hard-to-find ancestors
• Work around indexing errors
This strategy is especially effective for U.S. Census records but can also be used with probate, land, tax, and other location-based collections.
If you’ve ever said, “They should be there — I just can’t find them,” this video is for you.
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