Can you read this name and guess what it should be

[Hackstaple]

I have got into the swing of this now. Emily Whateley m. Charles Smith Dec 1878, Birmingham Vol 6d P 211. The marriage certificate should show her as Smith formerly [Bithell] or whatever.
 

[JAP]

Well done Arranroots.

In 1861, Emily 20 unmarried and brother Joseph 3 are part of the family of Thomas BITTHELL, a Pearl Button Turner (Joseph's job in 1881).

Whoever filled in the census form in 1881 must have had poor handwriting?

In 1891, Emily's second husband, Charles SMITH is at home.  The three younger WHATELY children are Boarders with them(!); Richard and wife probably next door.

JAP

[JAP]

Joseph BITHELL married in 1876.  Females on the same page are Elizabeth ALLEN and Mary Ann SMITH.

In 1891, Joseph BITHELL, 34, Pearl Button Turner, is in Birmingham with wife Elizabeth, a Warehouse Woman, and their children.

Back in 1881, Elizabeth BITHELL, a married Warehouse Woman and her children are in the household of her father, John J(?) ALLEN, a Silversmith in Aston Manor.

So TURKHELL in 1881 does just seem to be an enumerator's error ...

JAP

[lizdb]

Tried free BMD for possible marriages (census says he's married)
Names which were possible were Trusswell or Thirkell

[JAP]

Hi Bob,

I'm sure that Joseph's name on the 1881 census must be a transcription error by the enumerator i.e. the enumerator misread BITHELL when he copied the Householder's Schedule into his Enumeration Book.

We can't do anything about an enumerator's error but the transcription errors one finds leave me gasping.

Joseph BITHELL and family in 1891 have the surname written out just the once; other members of the family have _"_ marks under it.  But the transcriber couldn't even get that right!  Joseph, his wife, and three of their children are transcribed as BITHELL - the other two as BETHELL!

But that's as nothing compared to the rest of the page.  Admittedly much of it is hard to read - but much is not.
Here are some gems - the first is my reading, the second is what the transcriber recorded.

Example 1 - the BAKER family is transcribed as OPEL!
BAKER Henry/ OPEL George
BAKER Jane F(?)/ OPEL Jane
BAKER Charles E/ OPEL Charles Y
BAKER Clara E/ OPEL Clara
BAKER Walter J(?)/ OPEL Wallie
BAKER John E/ OPEL John E
BAKER Ernest U(?)/ OPEL Ermil G   
BAKER Ann ?/ OPEL Ann

Example 2 - the STANTON family is transcribed as GERSHON
STANTON Charles/ GERSHON Charles
STANTON Selina/ GERSHON Lenna
STANTON Alfred/ GERSHON Alfred
STANTON Ellen/ GERSHON Ellen
STANTON Gertrude/ GERSHON Gertrude
STANTON Harry/ GERSHON Harry
STANTON Herbert/ GERSHON Herbert

And we wonder why we can't find our ancestors in censuses!  Imagine if one were looking for poor Henry BAKER, the Japanner, in 1891 - searching for him under George OPEL would not immediately spring to mind

JAP

[stonechat]

Another common enumerator error I've seen is when a grandson or niece etc is staying, the enumerator gives them the surname of the head of household incorrectly. I've even seen this for Visitor's son

Bob