California birthplace claim

[Lisa in California]

On the 1901 Irish census John Gillanders age 24 has his birthplace as California.  On the 1911 census he is back to Co Monaghan like the rest of the family.
https://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/reels/nai001151116/
If he was born abroad he should have put USA not California, but understandable 'mistake'…

Possibly not helpful, but are you able to view neighbouring images, to see how other birthplaces were recorded?  Were countries used, or might there be other states or provinces?

[Wexflyer]

On the 1901 Irish census John Gillanders age 24 has his birthplace as California.  On the 1911 census he is back to Co Monaghan like the rest of the family.
https://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/reels/nai001151116/
If he was born abroad he should have put USA not California, but understandable 'mistake'…

Possibly not helpful, but are you able to view neighbouring images, to see how other birthplaces were recorded?  Were countries used, or might there be other states or provinces?

I posted earlier that there are over 260,000 entries in the 1901 census that did not follow the County/Country rule. Lots of people provided more specific places of birth than was asked for.
I have done the same myself. Very useful for future genealogists!

[Wexflyer]

For what it is worth, I can't see any marriage for the parents in either civil or church records, or births/baptisms for John or Robert, again in either civil or church records.
- And I checked "Unknown" births in the timescale for Robert.

[Erato]

"Very useful for future genealogists!"

You bet!  US censuses only ask for the birth country if someone is foreign born.  But in 1920, Elizabeth Stalla did me the favor of reporting that her father was born in Cambridge, England.  On all other censuses, it's just England.

[heywood]

For what it is worth, I can't see any marriage for the parents in either civil or church records, or births/baptisms for John or Robert, again in either civil or church records.
- And I checked "Unknown" births in the timescale for Robert.

Here is Robert’s birth - born December 1876
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1877/03021/2107157.pdf

[aghadowey]

I looked earlier for marriage of Robert and Eliza Jane without finding one in Ireland. Since birth registrations ask for mother's maiden name (and not a previous married name, if any) it's impossible to know if Eliza Jane was previously married and possibly had son John by that husband (or if John was illegitimate).

[Wexflyer]

For what it is worth, I can't see any marriage for the parents in either civil or church records, or births/baptisms for John or Robert, again in either civil or church records.
- And I checked "Unknown" births in the timescale for Robert.

Here is Robert’s birth - born December 1876
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1877/03021/2107157.pdf

Interesting. This is earlier than I looked.
But there are three discrepancies with the 1901/1911 family:
- Location
- Father is laborer rather than farmer, and
- Mother is illiterate, rather than (claimed) R&W

[heywood]

Mary Ann born 1886
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1886/02590/1957090.pdf

[Wexflyer]

Mary Ann born 1886
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1886/02590/1957090.pdf

It would seem that Robert and Eliza Jane begged to differ as to his status. 
Given the fact that the addresses in 1876, 1886 and 1911 are all different, it is difficult to see how he could have been a farmer