Quote from: Guy Etchells on Friday 22 February 19 07:07 GMT (UK) Many people assume that the reason for a disparity of ages on census and marriage etc. is due to the person lying, but in most cases it is probably because they were simply unsure about when they were born. Unlike today until the early 20th century there were very few occasions when a person needed to know their age so people did not think about their age. I'm sure you are right, Guy, at least some of the time. Following an individual's entries through a series of censuses, sometimes one finds the age tailing off slowly, as if they had just lost count. But the details were quite likely supplied by another family member who may also have forgotten.Another example I have is the Irish death cert for my gt-grandmother, who I suspect was living on her own. The death was registered by a non-relative, maybe a neighbour, who just guessed an age, several years out, as it happens.
Many people assume that the reason for a disparity of ages on census and marriage etc. is due to the person lying, but in most cases it is probably because they were simply unsure about when they were born. Unlike today until the early 20th century there were very few occasions when a person needed to know their age so people did not think about their age.
