Census vs gravestone

[stigW]

I have a Joseph Kirk, d.1849 buried Hope, Derbyshire.
In the 1841 census, he is 60, therefore d.o.b. 1781.
However, his Hope St Peters gravestone has his age 73, making d.o.b. 1776.

There are at least 2 potential births, one for each date. My instinct is that a gravestone would provide more reliable data than a census return, but is this generally so?

[rosie99]

Welcome to rootschat.

Ages on the 1841 census are rounded down to the nearest 5 years

ADDED Age at death is dependant on the knowledge of the informant so less likely to be accurate

[KGarrad]

Welcome from me, too

His census age of 60 would relate to an actual age of between 60 and 64.
So age at death, 8 years later would be between 68 and 73.

Therefore, no problem!

[wilcoxon]

GRO INDEX Dec qtr 1849 has him as 73.

[LizzieL]

GRO INDEX Dec qtr 1849 has him as 73.

Age matches burial record and age on gravestone, probably same informant.

also he was buried early November so high chance he had already had his birthday for 1849 by the time he died. The 1841 census was taken on 6 June, so just under 50% chance he'd had his birthday in 1841 by census day.

[Maiden Stone]

My instinct is that a gravestone would provide more reliable data than a census return, but is this generally so?

There are no general rules in family history when it comes to age of people.
Some people knew their age and recorded it accurately; some knew their age but "adjusted" it according to circumstance or personal preference; some weren't sure of their age and estimated it or someone else estimated it.
 

[aghadowey]

Gravestones can certainly have wrong dates such as date of death not just incorrect age. It's not uncommon for a death certificate or newspaper death notice to have a different date than on the headstone.

[LizzieL]

Gravestones can certainly have wrong dates such as date of death not just incorrect age. It's not uncommon for a death certificate or newspaper death notice to have a different date than on the headstone.

I think I've seen somewhere on this site a photo of a gravestone with a date of death in February later than 28th in a non-leap year.

[Guy Etchells]

Gravestones can certainly have wrong dates such as date of death not just incorrect age. It's not uncommon for a death certificate or newspaper death notice to have a different date than on the headstone.

I think I've seen somewhere on this site a photo of a gravestone with a date of death in February later than 28th in a non-leap year.

http://anguline.co.uk/cert/stone.html
Cheers
Guy