Sahara Desert in Durham.....in 1861?

[JenB]

I am intrigued to notice that the 1861 census on Ancestry  reveals that no fewer than 360 people were born in 'Western Sahara' Durham, England. The majority of them lived in Esh, and many, but by no means all, were born in Esh.

Can anyone satisfactorily explain this phenomenon? Global warming? Continental Drift? A very bored transcriber?

Jennifer 

[stanmapstone]

These transcription errors usually come about from the use of drop-down lists by the transcribers. They type in the first few letters and the list 'suggests' a possbile placename which is very easy for the transcriber to select. ESH is the three letter country code for Western Sahara, see:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO_3166-1_alpha-3

STan

[JenB]

Well, I was hoping there might be a strangely exotic or fanciful explanation  but very many thanks indeed Stan.

How do you manage to know SO MUCH?? 

Jennifer

[stanmapstone]

Hi Jennifer,
These questions have usually been asked before. It's just a matter of finding out where and checking the answers

Stan

[Roobarb]

I have come across that too Jennifer. Gave me a laugh anyway!



 I didn't know it was because of the drop down list though. You live and learn!