If I might interject a comment here: When I started working on Genealogy 18 years ago - I had someone tell me that I had to go backwards to go forward. The information available differes depending on which side of the pond you are on. The churches in most of Europe kept excelent records , however the churches on this side of the pond didn't keep such accurate records until probably in the early to mid 1800's - centralization of records didn't start in most states until the early 1920's - so there is a 200 year gap in some records.
The LDS center does indeed have millions up millions of records. I problem with trusting some of the data is that they have one of my great-great grandmothers listed as a child of her husband - and they have her 7 children listed as her brothers and sisters. She was 29 years younger than her husband.
ANotehr problem that I have with them is that they seem to want to "plug in" data : example there are 4 johns all born within 3 years of each other - so instead of puting all 4 johns in the proper family, they look at, say a 1850 sensus and find a child named John that belongs to Marvin - but the John that belongs to this Marvin was born in 1845 and is 5 - so they pick one and stick it in there -- when indeed they one that they just pludded in belongs to James in Adamsville - not Marvin in Smithville. If you get my drift here.
I have used them as a basis of possible information: I spend time going thrugh the cemeteries myself when I can and I send for printed documents when I can spare the extra funds -- Obit's: generally tell who the parents were, Siblings and if there are girls, they are usually listed with the last name of the Husband - Estate papers - Wills are the best source of info in most cases. Will's named the wife (if she is still alive) and normally the children. Any children left at home are usually listes as "Of the Home" the daughters are usually named with the last name of the husband may namet he son in law with the wofes name: Example Elizabeth, wife of Ducan MacRae - so now you have a married daughter and the name of the man that she married.
I don't know about the census records in Scotland but the Ceneus records in the U.S. really aren't of much use until 1860-
The other largest problem is teh naming of children: many names are not only repeated with the family : two cousins named Thomas or Elizabeth - but they continue to use the same names generation after generation:
Middle names: This is a good source for family connections ; many times a child (male or female) may carry the mothers maiden name or the maiden name of the mothers mother or the fathers mother - another good source to follow at times : Example: my Mary Daniel MacRae carried her daddies name Daniel as a middle name and an uncle Charles MacRae Gibson carried my grandmother maiden name of MacRae as his middle name. There are little tricks that you pick up the longer you "dig up bones" on paper
.
If anyone would like to contact me and ask questions off line, I'd be more than glad to lend a helping hand if I can
Scottish.faery@yahoo.com
: