Is it common for DoBs shown on Death Certificates to be inaccurate?

[Gadget]

We rely on the accuracy of the informant who registered the birth but is that the 'real' date of birth ?

Family often know the correct day and month of birth but sometimes the year is vague. Looking through a family bible that I inherited from my mother, I found that some birth dates, death dates and marriage dates were different from certificates.

When my mother in law died  many years ago, neither my brother in law or my husband knew her  correct middle name or her year of birth. Luckily, as I'd been researching their  family tree, I had the relevant documents. But were these correct?

My father always added a year to his birth date  despite all his documents giving the previous year.


Gadget

[nanny jan]

One of my gt.aunts had 3 DoBs;  one on her birth certificate, a few days difference on the baptism register and a third variation on her death certificate.

No idea which one she celebrated. 

[Guy Etchells]

As a point of interest, if there is a discrepancy between what the informant gives as the deceased's date of birth ( or any other bit of information)  and what any supporting documents might show (like a birth certificate), it is the what the informant says that takes precedence and should be recorded.

That might be the offical point of view but for family history accuracy a birth certificate produced close to the birth date is far and away more likely to be accurate than a date on a death certificate registered many years after the death. Some certificates cannot even get the name correct as I have experienced Here is an example of the wrong name on a marriage certificate http://anguline.co.uk/cert/marr_cert.html
Cheers
Guy

[Andy J2022]

That might be the official point of view but for family history accuracy a birth certificate produced close to the birth date is far and away more likely to be accurate than a date on a death certificate registered many years after the death.

While I agree that the memory of the exact date of birth should be more accurate (especially if the mother is the person registering the birth), however there were occasions when it was expedient to falsify the date in order not to incur a penalty fee of 5 shillings for registering the birth after the stipulated 42 days.
As others have said, it pays to keep an open mind about any apparent discrepancies in dates or other 'facts'. Let's face it from a family history point of view it's much more interesting to speculate why great aunt Maud might have wished to fib about her age at the time of her wedding, rather than to always seek the absolute 'truth' in every instance.

[Glen in Tinsel Kni]

My father used to celebrate his birthday on Dec 5th, it was only after I registered his death I chanced upon his birth cert, born on 5th Nov but registered 5th Dec. Every document referencing his birth I subsequently found with the exception of his BC had Dec 5th noted. 

[iolaus]

My great grandfather always celebrated his birthday on a different day (18th) to what was shown on his birth certificate (22nd) - he said his mother had lied to avoid the fine (and confessed when he was in his 20s) - on his death certificate his son has recorded the 'official' date of birth - further collaborating the lie
On the 39 register it also says the 22nd

The date on his birth certificate is 42 days exactly from the date registered - so she got as close as she could

I've recently found his baptism record - which shows his actual date of birth - the one he celebrated on - was lovely to find the 'proof' of what he told us

[Talacharn]

My father, who died 10 years ago, went through life saying he was born in 1926.
Recently when looking, I could not find a registration.
He was born, the same day and month, but in 1925.

[ALAMO2008]

My Relative Birth Registered on Birth Certificate in August 1894
Birth date shown as June on the Certificate
The Baptism Records Show Baptised 30 May 1894
Side column on Baptism Record shows Born 20 May 1894
Not sure What Birthday he celebrated

[Rena]

We rely on the accuracy of the informant who registered the birth but is that the 'real' date of birth ?

My father always added a year to his birth date  despite all his documents giving the previous year.

Gadget

My OH used to do the same thing.