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General => The Common Room => The Lighter Side => Topic started by: angelina ballerina on Monday 19 May 14 22:11 BST (UK)
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hi
I have my grans mum Hilda Olive Ross born Rotherham 1885. on 1891 census she is still surname Ross, on 1901 census she is surname Stephens, as is the whole family. 1911 census is Ross again. Why would this be? they were from the parish of St Stephens, Rotherham, could it be a case of human error when the forms were filled in?
thanks for any help
angie
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Could be a mistake by the enumerator when he was copying the householder's schedule into his enumerator's book
Stan
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My husband's g.grandparents John and Emma did this. Apart from the 1881 census, they used the correct surname of Dawson, but in 1881 they were using his Emma's mother's maiden name of Howard - not even Emma's own maiden name!! When they started using this name I have no idea, but I do know that one of their children was registered at school under the name of Howard in 1879. By 1891 they were back as Dawson. This was in Manchester.
I wonder if your family or my husband's were in debt and trying to escape the debtors. I've always ruled this out as my husband's g.grandfather had a good and fairly well paid job throughout his life.
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hi
thanks for that info. if they were trying to avoid debtors would they all still be in the same places doing the same things, no address change, just names? surely they would be found if they did that?
angie
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I would agree with Stan.... human error was most likely to have been the reason in the absence of any other connection to the Stephens surname as it only appears to have on the one census.
Carol
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Have you looked at the census image, sometimes the enumerator gets a little zealous with the dittos! Possiblya Stephens family lived next door or shared the same property.... I've come across this a few times.
Jenny