Age of infants

[g eli]

Thomas born Feb 19 1695. I have a burial of Thomas  in May 1696, he is described as an infant. Can these events be for the same person.

[Bee]

As I understand it

An infant is less than one year old

[Erato]

"An infant is less than one year old"

Hmm, so why are there 'infant schools' in the UK? 

[tillypeg]

Have you checked whether the birth date/year is 1695/96?  If it is Feb 95/96, then a burial in May 96 would mean the infant was only about 3 months old.

[Jebber]

Until the adoption of the Gregorian Calendar in 1752 the New Year began in March, which is why the way the date is recorded makes a difference,

[Top-of-the-hill]

  I suspect the term "infant" was used for children older than one year, possibly several years older.

[KGarrad]

"An infant is less than one year old"

Hmm, so why are there 'infant schools' in the UK?

Infant Schools are generally for 4-7 year olds.

[coombs]

I have found burials of children in my tree described as "infant son of" but the child was 2 or 3 or 4 years old.

[arthurk]

"Infant" is one of those annoyingly imprecise words. According to Chambers 21st Century Dictionary (free online), it can mean:

(a) a very young child in the first period of life
(b) in Britain, a schoolchild under the age of 7 or 8
(c) in law, a minor - so under the age of 18 (and previously 21)

Parish registers usually seem to follow (a), but it's useful to be aware of the other two possibilities.