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SylviaInCanada

SylviaInCanada Report 14 Oct 2009 01:27

Margaret

re your comment that you are finding ages on censuses "rather inaccurate"


They are!!


They can be as much as 2 years out of sync with the actual birthdate.



First ......... the census required that the age of the person on the night of the census be stated in years, except for infants under 1 year of age which is usually stated in months.

That means that someone who was 10 on the night of the 1851 census but turned 11 the next day ............... would be shown as age 10


Second ..... the modern day transcribers translate the age in years into year of birth ....................... which means that the child in my example above is shown as being born in 1841 when he/she was actually born in 1840.


Third .......... our ancestors couldn't really have cared less about how old they were, that information meant very little to them ................ so they could well have been merely guessing about their age!


Fourth ........ our ancestors were usually illiterate, so they couldn't check to make sure that the enumerator had actually written down the correct information


Fifth ........ the ages of people over the age of 15 on the 1841 census were rounded down to the nearest 5 ............ in most cases, but not all!




sylvia

Researching:
My brother, photo taken in September 1991 just a couple of weeks before he died. ............................................................ To help us and to get better results, please post as much detail as you can, especially name, date(s) and place. Also say what you already know.

Heather

Heather Report 13 Oct 2009 11:01

Its normally Mary or Mary Ann

Ozibird

Ozibird Report 12 Oct 2009 22:34

In middle-class families in the mid-eighteenth century "Sukey" was equivalent to "Susan" and Polly was a pet-form of Mary, as in 'Polly put the Kettle On'.

Mary > Molly > Polly
Similar to Margaret > Mag > Meg > Peg/gy.

Ozi

Madmeg

Madmeg Report 12 Oct 2009 22:17

Little known fact. Polly is a common variation for Mary. Didn't know myself either till I found a great aunt Polly.

Margaret

Janice

Janice Report 12 Oct 2009 22:05

If she was born in the last quarter of 1891, she would only be 9 in the 1901 census.

Margaret

Margaret Report 12 Oct 2009 21:27

have just found an entry for MARY in Dec 1891, think that must be her. Thank you everyone.

Thelma

Thelma Report 12 Oct 2009 21:24

Is she on the 1891?
She will probably be registered in that district.

Margaret

Margaret Report 12 Oct 2009 21:23

Ah, haven't tried Mary - thanks

Margaret

Margaret Report 12 Oct 2009 21:22

no, can't find her in 1891 , she could have been born after the census date tho' as I'm finding the ages given on the census are rather inaccurate.

Wildgoose

Wildgoose Report 12 Oct 2009 21:20

Margaret - My great aunt Polly was really Mary; though goodness knows how they arrived at Polly from Mary!

Janet

Researching:
Northampton/Blisworth Northants/Hinderclay Suffolk

Janice

Janice Report 12 Oct 2009 21:17

If she is 10 in 1901, she should be an infant in 1891. Can you find her there with the family?

Margaret

Margaret Report 12 Oct 2009 21:16

Hi, am a bit stuck on an entry on the 1901 census - listed is a daughter - Polly, aged 10.
I cannot find any record of Polly's birth and am racking my brains trying to think what Polly might be another name for. ( have tried Margaret, it's not that )
Any ideas?
Thanks