Has ancestry's search got a bug?

[guybrush]

Hi guys,

I've been getting back into the old genealogy game and have renewed my ancestry subscription. I've not used it for a year or so but now it seems to have an annoying bug/feature. If I search for say john williams in the 1916-2005 Birth Index, I get thousands of results where williams is the mother's maiden name and not the surname as searched for. I'm using the exact match search method. Does it happen for you too?

Cheers

Guybrush

[colin taylor]

There will hopefully be someone to explain it... but yes, this is a fairly recent thing and makes searches much more long winded

[Elaine ..Spain]

Hi guys,
I get thousands of results where williams is the mother's maiden name and not the surname as searched for.

They are trying to be helpful! :D
... and it's very annoying!

[Bird of the South]

I've found the same problem. Find My past seems much quicker.

[Mary from Italy]

I thought it was a bug too, and I was about to report it. Is it intentional, then? If so, it's the worst innovation they've ever made.

[Arilla]

I thought it was just me....very frustrating!

[grumpy]

Drives me mad, although I notice it generally gives you an answer then says that the others are near matches etc etc. Haven't tried it but you can go back to the old search pattern. There is a little piece of script in the upper right corner of the home page which says use old search (or something like that) which returns one to the old Ancestry.
David

[Mary from Italy]

I only ever use the old search, so I don't get the near matches, but it still gives the problem Guy mentioned in his first post.

[Bird of the South]

How about making a complaint to Ancestry. If enough of usa complained maybe they would do something about it.

[guybrush]

Thanks for the replies, glad it's not just me being victimised. Given that the search is the primary tool Ancestry has though, you'd think they'd get it right and listen to its users when it isn't. I'll see if a complaint makes a difference but I see it falling on deaf ears. One can but try.

Cheers

Guybrush