Genealogy Chat

Enumerators were posh and paid to mind your business.If you really don't want to be helpful you can speak with a very strong accent.Speech impediments were untreated then,cleft palates left cleft and the unfortunate possesor probably unable to write their name to clarify matters. I have found a family in Sussex listed as Tuborgden which is definitely not a local name.Stubbington is however,I think somebody had adenoids or a heavy cold on census day.

There was a detailed reply to this same question a couple of months ago and I can't remember the exact details but apparently there is a 'box' for the enumerator to tick if the names really are unknown. The above mistakes happen when he ticked the box accidentally so both the name was recorded and 'unknown'. So, usually, it tends to be just a mistake. Tricia

Thanks Karen, It may be that my surname is unusual (which is usually a bonus!), but for example, if you search on 1901 for Cawthrow anywhere in Yorkshire and then check the original image, you will see what I mean. Gordon

Thanks everyone, I've checked original images several times, but they are quite clear so can't understand why anything should be unknown. Perhaps I'll find out one day!!!! Gordon

Think I've seen the same phenomenon - all fields are filled in correctly on original image but for some strange reason the word unknown appears next to surnames on the transcription - I put it down to the the transcriber being unsure about whether the name was correct.

When searching through the Ancestry census, a name will come up followed by '(unknown)'. Could someone please tell me exactly what is unknown? Thanks Gordon