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how were the ages rounded up/down on censuses?
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Montmorency | Report | 10 Dec 2003 21:47 |
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Even in 1841, ages were supposed to be exact up to 15. Then the table went 15 years and under 20 write 15 20 years and under 25 write 20 etc This table was printed in full in the instructions at the front of each enumeration book, but enumerators often forgot and just wrote down ages as stated (not that we're complaining) Probably the schools didn't teach "rounding" then Demelza, why do you think the youngest should have been older? |
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Guinevere | Report | 10 Dec 2003 21:26 |
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Hi, It was only on the 1841 censuses that enumerators were told to round down the ages. On the other censuses the age is supposed to be exact. But it often wasn't in my experience. Gwynne |
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Researching: |
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HampshireMel | Report | 10 Dec 2003 20:55 |
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Jim, Tricia, Thanks for that. I guess I'll have to do some more digging around and get some birth certs to know for sure. Thanks.. Demelza |
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Tricia | Report | 10 Dec 2003 20:49 |
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Hi A researcher that I am using told me that they rounded the age of adults either up or down to the closest 5 ie: 42 would be shown as 40. 43 would be shown as 45. She also said that children were shown at their correct age Tricia |
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Unknown | Report | 10 Dec 2003 20:33 |
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Hi Demelza, Ages were rounded up or down on the Census returns. I believe the norm was to round up to the nearest 5 years. And, of course, sometimes the info given was inaccurate to hide a number of indiscretions. Also on Death certificates the age was usually guessed at by the person informing the Reistrar Jim |
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HampshireMel | Report | 10 Dec 2003 20:04 |
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I think Ive finally got a lead on the family that Ive been looking for after an age....the only problem, I expected the youngest child to be in his teens, but on the census it says hes 9! Could this possibly be the same person? I know ages were quite often rounded off but was there a set method that they used for this? Any advice would be appreciated...Thanks Demelza |
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