Time on your hands!

[pharmaT]

I wonder just how many people knew their real age, given that on some census returns, some of my relies ages vary as much as eight years in some cases.
Carol

I don't think they do.  I mean I sometimes have to think about about my age and back then people were asked their age and date of birth a lot less often than we are today.

[Nanna52]

I wonder just how many people knew their real age, given that on some census returns, some of my relies ages vary as much as eight years in some cases.
Carol

I agree Carol.  My great great grandfather was 40 in 1841, 60 in 1851 and 1861 but the closest I can find for him was baptised September 10, 1797.  He wasn’t sure where he came from either, but at least they were in the same general area.

[barryd]

I have no problem with my age .......................... as long as I have my calculator close by.

And of course regarding the ladies one never asks. Day yes when you buy them a present but never the year.

[andrewalston]

It can be difficult researching people from rural Ireland. They never seem to give consistent ages. Working out which decade they were born is as close as I have got in some cases. If they have an unusual name you stand a chance of locating a baptism, but there is much variation of spelling. Soundex won't help with gaelic spellings.

Then there are those who downright lied. Losing 10 years between censuses rather than gaining them is not unheard of.

People lied about their ages for many reasons. When young they claimed to be older to get a job, or a better one. When older, they claim to be younger, in order to keep a job.

[coombs]

Being casual about their ages makes you often doubt whether it is the same person, so you double check to make sure they are the same guy, and often you may not get definitive evidence. But many also did not know 100% how old they were. Today it seems you need a DOB to open an envelope nowadays. 

I have an ancestor who died in 1832 said to be aged 58, but he had a rare forename and surname, and the only baptism I can find is in 1761. And no burial or marriage for the 1761 has been found. He was deffo part of the same family but I cannot seem to find a namesake first cousin. If there was one, they would have been double first cousins as their fathers were brothers (the only surviving ones) who wed 2 sisters.