How to understand which categories to use and how they work?

Question

So I have this ancestor that I'm trying to work on improving. Part of the requirements include assigning categories. I have a vague idea of what a category is supposed to be (it probably wouldn't hurt to explain it again). How do I apply these categories? How do I know if there is a category?

Answer 1

Categorizing profiles serves as a method to group individuals who share common traits like location, occupation, or military service. These categories can encompass a wide array of topics, allowing for comprehensive organization and analysis.

As a historian and genealogist, utilizing these groupings can significantly aid in understanding family history and bridging gaps in lineage. For instance, if you're aware of distant relatives originating from a specific region, delving into that category might reveal additional surnames, facilitating connections within your family tree. Similarly, categorization enables inquiries into specific demographics, such as identifying the prevalence of farmers in your lineage and tracking shifts in occupations over time.

Among the invaluable resources for genealogical research are census records, which categorize individuals by various criteria. Imagine the convenience of accessing digitized, searchable census lists, eliminating the challenge of deciphering handwritten documents.

The versatility of categorization extends to numerous applications limited only by imagination. To explore how to categorize profiles effectively, refer to the "How to Categorize" section on https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Help:Categorization. This guide simplifies the process, often providing suggestions as you type to refine your search criteria.

Comments

So how do I know if I'm not missing categories? I do I type it into a search box and get a steady set of results. I tried to add a category to one of the people and I could find the region in the categories, but I couldn't find it in the search box.

---

Start by searching for the lowest category, like a town. Confirm its existence by checking its Wikipedia page for correct spelling. If it's a township, search by township name, county, and state.

Note that not all places, such as Census designated places or minor civil divisions, may be listed. If you can't find it, ask on the forum to add it.

You can also use the menu to search by category under "Find" and "Categories." The hierarchy for places is:

Regions

   North America

      United States of America

         States

           Counties

Drill down through these categories to find the state and county you're looking for. Any town should be a subcategory of the county and state.

---

I appreciate your help. I will do my best to see if I can figure it out. I suppose that I know where to go if I encounter any hiccups.

Answer 2

Here is the help page for categories

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Help:Categorization

Comments

I tried looking at it and I found it contained a lot of technical jargon that I didn't understand. I will see if it makes more sense after reading through the whole thing rather than just the first ten paragraphs. I know it sounds dumb but that is what I've found helpful.