The Census, age issues

[Petevincent]

I have noticed that in some of the censuses, that ages can differ.  Is this especially in the early ones due to illiteracy.  Or, maybe peoples ages didn't really matter, say to a pauper!  I have also noticed that P.O.Bs also alter, e.g.  Langtree, Devon might change to Torrington a little away!  This sometimes throws the scent off the research, until later something ties it back in again!  Another issue is;  Do christian names change, when in the case of Thomas James might use Thomas on say a christening record and James on another.  Also wives christian names cause confusion, not so much the common ones like, Sarah or Elizabeth, but not so common like Dorothy.  e.g. Thamas and Dorothy and James and Dorothy!  both males may be brothers or the same person.  Which goes back to the dates of birth.  I have been researching my tree for three years now, just when I think I've cracked it, a date or name is different but should be the person, as the evidence points to it being the same person!  ..... all good stuff, not really a post or question, more a deliberation really!

[stanmapstone]

The recording of ages in the census returns is without doubt one of the most problematic. The ages reported in the census must be regarded as only a rough approximations of fact, although in very general terms the majority of the ages stated will be consistent from census to census. Most discrepancies will be in the order of one or two years, but larger differences are by no means uncommon.'Making Sense of the Census' by Edward Higgs.


For instance working families may put down incorrect ages in order to get round restrictions on the employment of their children. There are numerous other reasons for ages to have been 'adjusted'


Stan

[KGarrad]

First of all, the 1841 census is different!
Ages were (supposed to be) rounded down to a multiple of 5 years, for those aged over 15.

Secondly, age just wasn't that important!
Why do you need to know your exact age? In the days before passports, driving licences, voting, and pub licenses, what did it matter?!

And thirdly, the enumerator just wrote down what he was told.


As for places of birth, I find these change the further away from "home" the person is!
In my own case, I grew up in Portishead (Somerset), but invariably tell people I am from Bristol - especially when I was living in the Netherlands!
People tend to put down a placename they think people know (and can spell!)

[stanmapstone]

The chief clerk of the GRO claimed that the birthplace tables were probably the most inaccurate of any of the census tables..... a great many people did not know in which county they were born. There was also a tendency to record the place of residence, or the earliest one which could be remembered, as the place of birth.

Stan

[Graham47]

I have a census record of the same family ten years apart with the same ages recorded and which for the moment at least has got me puzzled. The people in question were in just about the worst part of town (known as "Banghole" in Croydon) who were hawkers and recent travelers - so maybe they were not bothered about 'telling the truth', or the census taker was in a hurry to leave!.

[Petevincent]

'Banghole' great name, is it still called that?

[Graham47]

Only in memory. The area was in and around Walford Road which has now gone remaining only as Walford Park. Many reflections about this part of Croydon can be found in "At the Precipice of Poverty, A Croydon Chronicle" By DT Blakeley. ISBN 1 85756 484 6.

[Petevincent]

Progress, eh'

[Petevincent]

Its trying to sort out who's who, before you start throwing money at it! getting various certificates is not cheap.  Once certain fair enough, as for parish registers or births before 1800 and parentage its a nightmare!