Why are there two search boxes and what are they for?

The British Newspaper Archive search is designed around a simple principle: names behave differently from everything else in newspapers. To give you more accurate results, search is split into two distinct boxes each with a specific purpose. 

The Names box

Newspapers refer to people in many ways. News reports, court notices, advertisements, and announcements and so searching for names effectively requires specialist handling. Use the Names box for people. Whenever you're searching for a person, put their name in the Names box. This box is built specifically for names, it understands name structure, recognises first names, surnames, middle names, and titles, and applies logic that reduces irrelevant results. You can enter names naturally, like Robert Smith or Major Henry Hunt.

Avoid putting names in the Keywords box. There, names are treated as ordinary words, which can pull in unrelated matches and miss the name-specific context that makes results meaningful.

The Keywords box

Use the Keywords box for everything else. If you're not searching for a person or simply don't have a name leave the Names box empty and use Keywords on its own. 

The Keywords box handles general content, including:

• Events and incidents
• Places, towns, and streets
• Occupations and industries
• Organisations and institutions
• Themes, objects, and social issues

For quick reference

• Have a name? Use the Names box
• Searching for a topic, place, or event? Use the Keywords box
• No name? Leave the Names box empty, and use the Keywords box only