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Topic: Age rounding 1901 census (Read 1214 times)
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blockislandjudith
RootsChat Extra
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Posts: 20
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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I am a beginner, but have spent about two months starting a family history for my family with almost no firm information. I am working on a roadblock in the 1901 census for Co. Durham. Can anyone tell me if it was common to round ages up in that census? I have two people who "should be" my ancestors in every other respect, but they are the wrong age. This is my first post, so please excuse if I have posted in the wrong place. Thank you in advance.
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Treelover
RootsChat Veteran
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Posts: 783
Me
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Hi, Welcome to Roots 
I have had a few that are a year or so out. Can you give us full details of people concerned and maybe Roots can help.
There are lots of people here willing to help you with your search. Post the information you have and we can see if we can help
Joan
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Atkinson - Congleton, Ches
Broomhead - Lancs
Clegg - Rochdale, Lancs
Dodd - Manchester, Lancs
Jones - Lancs, Shropshire, Staffs
Williams - Salford, Lancs & Wales
Kennerley - Congleton, Ches
Lees - Rutland
Redfern - Lancs & Derbyshire
Round - Staffs
Rowley - Congleton, Ches
Sankey - Burtonwood, Lancs
Shuffle(el)bottom - Lincs & Lancs
Watson - Salford, Lancs & Yorks
Walker - Manchester, Lancs
Wright - Manchester
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AMBLY
RootsChat Aristocrat
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Posts: 2773
Falkland Islands "Desire The Right"
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Hi there
The only census with official age rounding was the 1841.
In any other Census, ages are as reported to the enumerator.
Many people 'fiddled' deliberately with their ages, vanity, woman's perogative , decorum (if one spouse was much older or younger than the other) - how far out are the ages of the people you've found?
Another reason could be if the people concerned were not the ones who reported their ages - other family members in the house (even adult children, who often did not actually know their parent's ages), if they were lodging for example or otherwise not the Head family of where they were living - the head of the house may then have reported incorrectly. It was even know for neighbours to report for people who were not available when the Census wo/man came - and this may be more likely to occur perhaps, it they lived in a shared dwelling - ie a house with rooms for different families, a tenement etc.
Cheers
AMBLY
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CaroleW
RootsChat Marquessate
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Posts: 8589
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Hi and welcome to Rootschat
In 1901, ages were recorded as given to the enumerator. However - you have to allow for a number of things when you find an age does not tie up with what you know
Illiteracy
The person who gave the info to the enumerator may not have been your ancestor themselves so it may have been “best guess”
They lied!!
We have all encountered discrepancies in ages during our research and it’s not at all uncommon to find that somebody has only aged 5 years between a 10 year census span
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blockislandjudith
RootsChat Extra
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Posts: 20
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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Thank you for offer of help. What I have is Richard and Annie Jackson, Canada 1911 census who report they were born in England. I know that these are my ancestors because the children, my father Samuel, and his sisters Sarah and Agnes Jane are known to me. I have found Agnes Jane Jackson's birth record for Crook, Co. Durham, 1902. I have sent for birth certificate for Sarah born 1899, but am not sure which of four Sarahs born Durham she may be. Here is the problem. I have also found Richard Jackson and wife Annie in the 1901 England census with a daughter Sarah age 2. They are in Crook, Co. Durham. This seems like the right couple, but their given ages are Richard 35 and Annie 30. Later in Canada, 1911, they give their birthdates as Richard 1873 and Annie 1879. I have confirmation of Richard's birthdate from his Canada WWi military record. So these ages are way off, but I am still thinking that it is unlikely there are two Richard Jacksons, wife Annie with daughter Sarah in such a small place. Do you think I am wasting my time? I know of no other way to find out where they were born and that is my simple goal. I also know that Annie's maiden name is Tinsley. And I know that Richard lists Warwickshire as his place of birth in his Canadian military record. Hope this is not too confusing, but I wanted to include everything I knew. Thanks for any insight you can provide.
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« Last Edit: Friday 06 June 08 02:56 BST (UK) by blockislandjudith »
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CaroleW
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Posts: 8589
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Hi again
The 1901 entry shows Richard as b Worcestershire - Tanby but Worcester and Warwickshire are quite close to each other
I will check him out on the 1891 census and see what his age was then
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CaroleW
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Posts: 8589
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Now - we have something very odd on the 1901 - looks like a double entry
1901 for Crook & Billy looks like Grahamsley Row
Samuel Brooks 57 b Oldbury Worcester
Sarah 57 b Oldbury
Richard Jackson 35 son married b Oldbury Worcester - occ labourer for water company
Edward Turnfield 16 adopted boy
Fred Robinson 17 adopted boy
William Robinson 15 adopted boy
RG13; Piece: 4653; Folio: 144; Page: 26
What are the chances of there being 2 Richard Jacksons both 35 and both b Worcester and both labourers in the water company and both living in Crook. Also - you said he called one of his sons Samuel and his first born was Sarah
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CaroleW
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Posts: 8589
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It gets even more confusing in 1891
32 Grahamsley Crook & Billy
Samuel Brooks 40 coalminer b Oldbury Worcs
Sarah 47 ditto
Edward Brooks 5 son b Crook (must be the Edward Turnfield shown in 1901)
Richard Jackson boarder b Oldbury aged 50 occ coalminer
Sarah Jackson 7 boarder b Oldbury
RG12; Piece: 4076; Folio 99; Page 50
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blockislandjudith
RootsChat Extra
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Posts: 20
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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I am very intrigued and excited that you are actually thinking about my problem.
Other facts I have. By 1905, Sarah and Agnes Jane Jackson are living in Canada with Richard Jackson and mother Annie Tinsley. My father, Samuel, was born 1905 in Ontario Canada. I have his birth record.
Also, Agnes Jane birth certificate says she was born Billy Hall Farm, Crook, Durham 1901. Does this shed any light? Thank you
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CaroleW
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Posts: 8589
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Hi
What was Agnes's actual date of birth - was it before 31st March 1901
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blockislandjudith
RootsChat Extra
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Posts: 20
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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Agnes Jane's date of birth was 13 February 1902, registered 8 March 1902. Father's occupation is listed as Plumbers Labourer. And the place was Billy Hall Farm, Crook.
There is one other small thing. I remember my father, Samuel, telling me that Brooks was a "family name"
Up until now, I thought Richard Jackson's father was Richard Jackson born 1825 Birmngham, Warwickshire. Richard's Canadian military record says he was born Birmingham, Warwickshire. Now I am not so sure. It did not make sense to me that he was home with Richard and mother Matilda in 1901 census when he had a wife and child in Crook, Durham.
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AMBLY
RootsChat Aristocrat
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Posts: 2773
Falkland Islands "Desire The Right"
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Hi
Just for reference:
1901: Blades Cottage - Village of Wheatbottom, Parish of Helmington Row, Bishop Auckland, Durham
RG13; - Piece: 4651 - Folio: 40 - pg 23
(Ecclesiastic parish: Crook St Catherines)
Head: Richard JACKSON 35, Labourer, Water Company - b Tanby Worcestershire
Wife: Annie JACKSON 30, b Oswestery Salop
Dau: Sarah JACKSON 2, b Crooks, Durham
From the Canadian records: St Catherines. Lincoln, Ontario:
I can see that Agnes and Sarah when they married there, gave their parents as:
Richard JACKSON and Annie TINSLEY (or TINSLINE in the record for Sarah).
Both girls married in 1918 (Sarah in Oct to Mr MORGAN and Agnes in Nov to Mr MAY). Sara MORGAN was witness to Agnes' marriage.
When Samuel was born in St Catherines. Lincoln, Ontario in 1905, his mother registered the birth and parents names as again, Richard JACKSON and Annie TINSLEY.
I assume, the birth cert for Agnes does name her mother as Ann(ie) TINLSEY?
Also worth noting, Sarah when she married said she was born in Birmingham.
(Agnes is another story, she said she was 18 and born St Catherines when she married, in actual fact she must have been abt 3 months shy of 17 ? - but the St' Catherine's may refer to Crook Durham, not Lincoln Ontario?)
Again for reference, this is the 1911 Canada Census:
Victoria St St Catherines District, Lincoln Ontario
Richard JACKSON 38, b Jul 1872, England, imm 1904, Labourer
Annie JACKSON 32, b May 1879, England, imm 1905
Sarah JACKSON 12, b Apr 1899, England imm 1905
Agnes JACKSON 9, b Feb 1902, England imm 1905
Samuel JACKSON 5, b Jun 1905, Ontario
Have you got a marriage for Richard and Ann? Or their deaths?
Cheers
AMBLY
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stanmapstone
RootsChat Marquessate
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Posts: 3856
My answers only refer to England and Wales
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The ages reported in the census must be regarded as only a rough approximations of fact, although in very general terms the majority of the ages stated will be consistent from census to census. Most discrepancies will be in the order of one or two years, but larger differences are by no means uncommon.'Making Sense of the Census' by Edward Higgs.
From "The Times" 21 Jan 1911.
"The Disclosure of Age"
'That is the point where trouble generally arises, if trouble there is. Women who are no longer very young and not yet very old have a traditional and unconquerable objection to saying exactly how old they are. One curious result is that the number of women who return themselves as aged from 20 to 25 exceeds at every Census the number of girls returned as from 10 to 15 at the previous Census. A certain number of women householders, though deterred by fear of a £5 fine from absolutely refusing information, will send up their answers direct by post to the Registrar-General, hoping it will be hidden at least from the eye of any neighbour, even from the confidential enumerator. The Registrar-General will politely acknowledge the schedule - and send it back to the local registrar for inclusion in the district returns. It never occurs to any of these ladies, apparently, to adopt a really effective method by undertaking the duties of an enumerator herself. In that capacity she could not only conceal her own age, but find out every one else's. Many people of both sexes deliberately falsify their statement of age to bolster up a previous falsification. At the last Census (1901) according to the official report, it was found that servants had misstated their age to get higher wages, and workhouse inmates to secure a better dietary and other advantages, or that an understatement had been made to deceive an insurance company. Consistency here is not a jewel; and if the culprits realised that the Census details would not be used as proof against them or for any purpose except to make up statistical tables, they might for once be inconsistently accurate.'
Stan
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Mapstone, Mapston. Sunderland, Somerset
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