How Truthful?

[sez56]

Hi,
I know when you're doing genealogy, you are supposed not to add anybody unless you're 100% sure.  Problem is when your ancestors were less than truthful.  How close a match is close?  What details are people less likely to tell the truth or lie about in people's experience?  For example if you have two alternative Christian names for a person's mother, which is more likely to be correct?  Do people generally lie about their mother's maiden name? etc. 

[danuslave]

Hi sez56

I'm not sure that people did deliberately lie a lot of the time.   

In the 18 and early 1900s, which most of us get our information from, they just didn't seem to be as concerned about dates and places of birth as we are today.  People were often recorded as the names they were known by within the family, rather than the names they were given at birth or baptism.

Mistakes were made by the original informants, by those recording the information and, more recently, by those transcribing it.

In many cases we cannot be 100% sure of something.  It's just a case of collecting all the information we can find and choosing the most likely option - and being open-minded about changing it if something comes along later 

If you have specific problems sorting out your ancestors, post the details on RootsChat.  There are some very experienced people here who love a challenge! 

Don't get dis-heartened.  It's amazing what can be sorted out with a bit of teamwork   

Linda

[t mo]

my 2 hap,path  i often think education or the lack of makes a big difference too for those and earlier eras the unfortunate lack of being able to read and write causes a lot of confusion ,dialect too from area to area a lot i,m sure was done by phonetics  regarding names  even today it happens my own surname being a bit unusual and i,m sure because i don,t speak distinctly enough never gets spelt right so i always make a point of spelling it out each time it,s annoying but saves time in the long run , in the old days the important things were keeping a roof over there heads and food on the table god bless them all , it makes our quest harder but then would there be as much fun doing this if it went like clock work , as poirot says we need to exercise the little grey cells !!!!!!!! 
happy hunting

Trevor

[omega 1]

Hi

My Husbands Greatgrandmother was at the Top of the Class for telling porkies.
 
Hurdle No1

On Husband`s Grandfather`s Birth cert he was given a fictitious Father & Mum used her Own Mother`s identity when registering him.

Hurdle No2

When Greatgranmother married 2 years later she used a mixture of her Mother`s dead husband name & her Fathers name.

After a lot of help from a clever member on the BBC Family History ,the Truth was finally found & buying Certs to clarify everything.

It was SO complicated.

Back in March,a member on the Sussex was trying to help a person find his Greatgrandmother.It was the sister of above Greatgrandmother,using same surname & father a Marriage cert,more porkies.

I sent a PM.I was put in touch with the person ,the rest in history.

I hope you can you problem sorted out.

Kind Regards

Omega(Head spinning now)

[omega 1]

RE hurdle NO2,it should be she gave the mixture of her dead mums Husbands name & one Fathers name as her Father.

I did say Greatgrandmother made my head spin

Omega

[t mo]

hi omega granny either had a wicked sense of humour or was trying to cover up a bit of naughtiness !!!!!! and boy did they know about naughtiness they make later generations almost saintly 
trevor

[omega 1]

Hi Trevor

She certaintly was a bit of a GAL.

We discovered she had a Daughter before she had Grandad.Got the Cert.

Thankfully she could sign her name.

Spent on & off quiet a bit of time at the Register`s Office sorting out Certs & comparing her signature before buying Certs.They even bought out original Register Books.
A Staff have been so helpful
I`m now helping 1 with her Tree

Omega

PS,Then theres Grandgrandmothers Husband`s line,they used 2 surnames!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Make our Daughter`s heads spin

[t mo]

ooooooooooooooohhhh  i say the shame ,    now not wanting to better that  ( but i,m going to  !) my gt grand mother had gher first 3 children reg but no fathers name on certs , i reckon she had a stutter and by the time she said no it was to late !!but must have found acure cos she went on to have another 6 babes legitimately (  susan i love you greatly dearheart ) trevor

[omega 1]

I did not mention Greatgrandmother`s Mum.Both their names Lydia.

Lydia NO1 lost her first husband.On 1851 she was living with a bloke.

Between 1851 & 1861 they moved down South had 3 kids,never married & she either kicked him out or he did a bunk.
Have all the Certs to clarify stuff.
Found the Rouge in Croydon

So i guess like Mother, like Daughter

Studying the Family on the census,they were very close,love`em to bits.

Omega