Missing from Census?

[Jan_down_south]

My great grandfather is nowhere to be found on the 1881 Census      His wife, step-daughter and son are there, his wife being noted as the Head of the household and married.  He's not dead as he turns up on the 1891 Census, still married and now the Head of the household and in the 1901 Census but widowed.

Any ideas anyone?

Thanks in advance
Jan

[Hackstaple]

If he is not on the census then he was out of the country - that is the most likely explanation. He might have been at sea or in gaol or in hospital or working a nightshift - in those cases he would appear at that place and you would have to think hard.  I once found a linen factory with hundreds of people reported on the census.
His occupation may give a clue.
His wife would be the head of the family for census purposes as she was senior to anyone else in her household. The main point is what is her status on the census? Does it show as Married or Widowed?
Are you looking at the transcript or the fiches of the district?
All such problems are solved by a combination of intuition and logic.

[janan]

I had a similar problem and found the gentleman in question as a lodger in another county, presumably working away. Maybe this could be the case with your relative? Have you tried searching just his first name with rough age, county of birth, under all counties? This turns up the most bizarre of mispelling which phonetic search will miss. Hope you find him.  Janan 

[henry]

hi. i had the same problem and susie at www.compter.org found it for me contact me if you cant find her. isabel