Unknowns Team Final Review Process

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: [unknown]
Surnames/tags: profile improvement unknowns

Unknowns Team
Unknowns Team - Unknowns Process
Unknowns Team - Aliases Process
Possible Profiles for Deletion

Welcome to the Unknowns Team Final Review Process

This team will concentrate on those Unknown profiles that have been referred as Possible Profiles for Deletion by the Unknowns Team and others when their research has not turned up identifying information. The referred profiles should have already been vetted and are probably more difficult than those from the Unknowns Team Process lists.

Mission

To do the final research in hopes of finding appropriate names for the Name Fields or connections in each profile. The Team Member will search through the profile "with a fine tooth comb" to try to recover clues that might lead to a valid name for who the profile was intended to be.

Task List

1. Choose a profile from the Possible Profiles for Deletion list or a profile from the Unknowns Team Process list.
2. Look to see if the profile was created from a GEDCOM and/or has had a merge.
   • If there are no attachments, review the profiles created at the same time by the GEDCOM.
   • Has the person ever been linked to anyone?
   • If so, can your profile be the same person as someone now linked to that person?
     • Sometimes GEDCOMs will include an Unknown and a person with the correct name
     • Check any AFN numbers on FamilySearch for any linked profiles.
     • Check to see if the currently linked person was created by someone else. Someone may have created a profile with the name and then disconnected the Unknown.
     • If a linked profile has a surname, check the ID number plus/minus 1 and 2 numbers to see if any of the profiles created around the same time might be related.
3. Check to see if there is a Profile Manager for any of the related profiles.
   • If there is more than one PM on a profile, check to see if there has been a merge.
     • In the Unknown profile change log, hover over any links to another profile to see if it is the same WT ID as the person who may be related. That will tell you if the Unknown belongs to the current related profile or the one that was merged away.
4. Search through the change log entries (data) to learn what the original LNAB was.
   • You have to open the change logs to see what the name was originally.
5. Search through the contribution history of the person who created the profile to determine if other profiles created at the same time may provide clues or if there was a relationship between the creator and the profile you are researching.
   • To find the contribution feed of a deleted PM, you must find the link for the original PM from the earliest entry in the change log for the profile you are researching.
   • Click on the link for the original PM. There you will find the WikiTree ID number for that person in the URL.
   • Copy the WikiTree ID number and then go to your own Contribution Feed and replace your WikiTree ID with the number you have just copied.
   • From here you may find clues for last names or relationships.
6. Search the databases to see if clues can be found as to who the profile was intended to be.
7. See if the profile creator can be found (usually Ancestry) to look at their tree for clues.
   • You can also search other genealogy sites (eg. FamilySearch, GENI, etc.) for family trees using names you have.
   • Do a Google search for all the variations of the name. You might find a duplicate that already exists.
8. Check FindAGrave using a range of years for birth and death. (You can also do this on FamilySearch)
   • If the person you are researching is a female, you can also search for the maiden name (if known).
9. Check for duplicates or GEDCOM imports that went bad and caused a marriage to not be connected.
10. If you are without sources, write to the PMs of any likely relations to your Unknown asking for their sources, if any.
11. If a merge is to be done, determine what the Name should be.
    • If there are no sources, the Name should remain Unknown with extensive Research Notes showing any other possible Names with the reasoning behind those possible Names.
12. If the process is successful and a name is found it should be deleted from the Possible Profiles for Deletion
13. If after all these avenues have been exhausted, a name still cannot be found, the profile will be referred to the Team for deletion.
    • Any profile that needs to be seen by the Team will be added to for the WikiTree Team - Review Complete. section
      • When referring the profile for deletion add a brief statement in the profile and in the item for the Team as to what was done to arrive at the conclusion that the profile should be deleted.
      • Add four tildes at the end of your statement to add a signature so that the Team will know who to ask if they have any questions.