Ancestry "inferred county"

[Top-of-the-hill]

   I am corresponding with someone about a place of birth, and I have been shown a copy of a record, which appears to be from Ancestry, with the county "inferred", presumably from the reg. district. I don't want to go into any more detail, but wondered if this is common? If so, it could explain a lot!

[groom]

I think all Ancestry births do this don't they?

[KGarrad]

Many Registration Districts contain parishes from more than 1 county - sometimes 3 or 4 counties!

"Inferred" county means just that - it's inferred, or guessed at.

For example, the Registration District of Faringdon will have an inferred county of Berkshire.
But it includes parishes in Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire

See: https://www.ukbmd.org.uk/reg/districts/faringdon.html

[Top-of-the-hill]

   It still seems odd to me. In most cases it might not matter, but this person has taken it at face value, not knowing much about registration districts or south British geography, and gone astray.

[BumbleB]

Just a thought.  If you are talking about England and Wales, and b m or d after 1837, perhaps look at FreeBMD for the event and name.  Then highlight the Registration District and this will show the actual  coverage and act as confirmation of the correct location.

But then, I'm probably preaching to the converted 

[KGarrad]

Can you tell us the Registration District in question?

[StevieSteve]

Ancestry have to infer a county from the BMD indices because it's not in the record

They don't half make a hash of it on occasions though.