Unclear Christian Name

[ChrisAllonby]

1871 Census - Newport, S Wales

Who is this? Is it William Kennedy? If so, it doesn't make sense, based on other records. Could it be Matthew Kennedy? That would make a great deal more sense, based on several other records - censuses and marriage cert.

Perhaps I just want to see Matthew, when clearly it's William. Any thoughts on this gratefully received. Thanks,
Chris.

[ChrisAllonby]

I think I may have answered my own question. Looking further up the the census sheet, there is a definite William, and it looks very similar to the one I questioned - dots above the letter i, etc.
Chris.
 

[hepburn]

I think it looks like William.

[Treetotal]

Me too.
Carol

[Cas (stallc)]

It looks like William

There are online trees for this family with same children. Has William Kennedy b1825 Ireland married Margaret Walsh on one tree viewed. Not checked for errors.

There are Welsh/Walsh lodgers in 1871, possibly related.

Maybe not the correct census for your people if Matthew is head of your family?

Cas

[ChrisAllonby]

Thanks for the replies. Yes, I'm resigned to the fact that it's definitely William. At least, that's what the enumerator wrote in 1871. This person appears in at least four Ancestry family trees. One of his sons is James Kennedy, but according to James's marriage certificate his father was called Matthew, and Matthew's death certificate confirms James as his son. Perhaps William and Matthew are the same person. I can't find any other records that are likely to be William. I suspect the family trees that link William to the James I'm interested in, are incorrect. I'll carry on looking. 

Add: I can't find anything linking William to Margaret W a/e lsh.

[alpinecottage]

It might be worth bearing in mind that the enumerator copied details out from the  info he had collected from the householder (or whoever filled in the census form) onto the census sheets we see today. He could easily have made a mistake or been unable to read his own handwriting etc. If you compare William and Matthew, they are quite similar shaped words - not like muddling up John and Peter for example.  I wouldn't throw this record out without more reason to cast doubt on it.

[ChrisAllonby]

I think an enumerator error is quite possible here. As you say, the words Matthew and William do look similar in some respects. It's interesting to note that there are - apparently - no other records for William Kennedy. I would have expected a death record, but there's nothing. Also interesting is that Matthew Kennedy's father was called Daniel (marriage cert), and William Kennedy had a son called Daniel.