Searching Census Records Part 2

Last week we started our census series. We covered the basics, but now let’s talk about some of the inconsistencies we find. I have personally found an entire family missing from the 1910 census in the same community that another family was counted twice! I’ve seen entire communities counted twice in one year on different dates. Keep in mind that the census was recorded by individuals, who were fallible. Sometimes the problems we find are not due to enumerator error, but by design. When traveling door to door, the enumerator would collect all details from the head of household. It was classified as a misdemeanor to not participate in the census and you may be subject to a fine. So just imagine if the head of household wanted to hide or alter any information, he or she could do so by developing a compelling story. If the details were not believable, the enumerator could use other sources to get the info needed. How well do you know your neighbors? The 1880 census enumerator guidelines state that if a family isn’t home, the details should be obtained from persons living nearest the abode. No wonder details vary from census to census. What if you only know a child by nickname and have a rough idea of their age. Maybe you remember the mom was born in Carolina before moving to Virginia, but you aren’t sure if it was north or south. And you know she was pregnant but aren’t sure if she had the baby yet. So many opportunities for inaccuracies! 

Names are a regular source of frustration in historical documents. Last Names are often spelled wrong, which can make a family harder to find. If I’m specifically looking for my Graham ancestors, and their name on this census was recorded as Gorham, I may not find them. Graham=Grayham=Grimm=Gorham When searching for your ancestors, consider how a name may be written if spelled with an accent. Using these alternative spellings may help find “missing” people. 

Abbreviations for mens first names were commonly used in the census. Sometimes you may think a person has a strange first name, but it’s really an abbreviation. There are also generational nickname that are common. Here are a few popular examples:                           Jas=James, Jos=Joseph, Jno= John,      Geo=George, Tho/Thos=Thomas and                           Chas= Charles. Women often have nicknames documented. A Margaret in your family tree may be listed as Maggie, Madge or even Peggy. Anna could be changed to Ann or Annie, but may be short for Susanna, Hannah, or even Anastasia! Elizabeth may be called Eliza, Liza, Beth, or Betsy. When a name is unisex, or a child is very young, it’s not uncommon for the gender to be listed incorrectly, so don’t rule out a record if the other details fit but the sex is wrong.

Speaking of age, it’s generally considered acceptable that a persons age may vary within a 5 year range. Some researchers say 10, but I feel like that’s a bit excessive. The formal instructions specify that only persons alive on June 1 should be recorded. The census may not be enumerated until the 25th. If a child is born between the 1st and 25th, they aren’t recorded until the next census! And conversely, if someone dies between the 1st and 25th, they ARE recorded! 

Hopefully some of these points will help you when you think you’ve found your ancestor in census records. Next week, we will dig deeper into some of the unique questions asked on each of the censuses and how it can help your research.