Trees uploaded or created through ancestry may or may not be accurate. Don't get me started on whether a 'professionally' created tree might or might not be more accurate than one worked on by a so-called amateur!!

I'm not sure what you mean by ancestry "relying" on people's tree research? Ancestry do not vet the trees they hold on their site and wouldn't know if a tree was 'professional' or otherwise. Individuals can choose to copy someone else's tree at their peril!

Wow - then this means 'proceed with extreme caution' then :eek:

I almost never look at Ancestry to view the trees uploaded there (and I've had a sub for almost 20 years and use the site most days!) - I use Ancestry to look at records. I have really only looked at a lot of trees since I did a DNA test.

If you want to produce an accurate tree of your own family then looking at other people's trees isn't really the way to go - much more satisfying to research it yourself and only look at trees if you are really stuck and then check every so-called fact!

Haven't looked at any other trees yet, I have library access to FMP census returns but didn't dive in for a full FMP or Ancestry membership because what I was researching was so slight. It's taken me 10 years to find my gt gt grandfather's place of birth, and I may have tracked down his father, but things get very vague after that in the heart of Victorian London, if you are chasing a comparatively popular surname. Add to that, I believe there may be a Traveller element in this branch of the family which makes things even more difficult - Travellers do not really like to have themselves documented ~ as Travellers.