Census entry

[Shrop63]

Hi can anyone decipher this? Taken from a census return. Thanks ( it cant be cousin because of the age difference)

[JenB]

It's far too pixelated to make anything of it.
Could you provide a larger snip, or the census reference so that we can look at the relevant page for ourselves?

[jimbo50]

Why should age affect the possibility of 'cousin' ? I think it is that very word.

[Shrop63]

Why should age affect the possibility of 'cousin' ? I think it is that very word.

Head of household is 79 and the entry is for a guy 23 iirc

[jimbo50]

I admit it doesn't elaborate on what type of cousin..first..second.. third..or how many removals, but it's still a possibility. They may not know which , so have just put plain 'cousin'.
Householder would have been 56 when he was born. It is very conceivable that his parents' or grandparents' brothers and sisters were having children at that time, or other relative. I wish I'd had cousins for some of my census entries. Would be really useful in bridging information gaps. 

[Shrop63]

I admit it doesn't elaborate on what type of cousin..first..second.. third..or how many removals, but it's still a possibility. They may not know which , so have just put plain 'cousin'.
Householder would have been 56 when he was born. It is very conceivable that his parents' or grandparents' brothers and sisters were having children at that time, or other relative. I wish I'd had cousins for some of my census entries. Would be really useful in bridging information gaps. 

It does look like cousin i must admit, just the age thing is throwing me

[Shrop63]

The entry is a George Jones living with an Ellis family so he couldnt be a direct cousin?

[rosie99]

Why not tell us which census it is and give the reference.  I am sure that there are a few rootschatters twiddling their thumbs on here at the moment as there is not much going on who would love to look at this mystery. 

Sadly I am about to finish for the day 

[Ruskie]

The word does look like “Couson”.

Relationships on censuses aren’t always as expected, so keep an open mind. Some people would have known they are related but could be unsure exactly how. No proof would have been needed when completing the census forrm. Maybe cousin = nephew or niece? I’ve come across similar anomalies before.

You could do some research about the two to try to determine if they are “real” cousins.

Do they appear together on any other census and if so what is the relationship said to be? If not together, trace tnem on other censuses as who they are living with may help determine their relationship.