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Double booking in the census

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  • Double booking in the census

    I imagine it is not unknown for a person to appear twice in the same census but this is the first time I have come across it.

    I was searching in the 1881 census for my Evans ancestors and found them living on the Croydon Road, Streatham, Surrey [RG11 0667/53 33]. One daughter, Mary Evans, was missing but I traced her to another address in Streatham, Coventry Park Mayfield [RG11 0667/38 4] where she was in service as a housemaid. Curiously there was an Annie Evans, relationship to head of household "other", aged 11 scholar, born Streatham. This is clearly Mary's youngest sister but she also appears at the Croydon Road address but aged 9, which is actually incorrect.

    Presumably on the day of the census she was staying with her sister but her parents punctiliously reported her to the enumerator as she usually lived with them.

    Although it is disturbing that this mistake was made, as a genealogist I would rather have someone entered twice than not at all.

  • #2
    Hi Peter

    I have found my g. g. grandfather on the census twice in 1851, once in London & once in Bedfordshire, which I guess is possible if he took a fast coach between the two I guess!

    So yes it is possible!!


    Joanie

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    • #3
      Peter

      Although it is disturbing that this mistake was made, as a genealogist I would rather have someone entered twice than not at all.

      Well, there are mistakes all over the records - censuses, certificates, parish registers, tombstones, you name it, I've got an example of a mistake in/on it!

      There are quite a few folk I have been unable to find on various censuses, which is quite irksome :(

      But I do have 2 examples of double entries and they were both helpful to me:

      a) on my mother's side
      my gt gt gt grandmother,Ann Malen/Mealing who in 1841 is with her children at both her husband's house and simultaneously with her parents a few miles away in Gloucestershire. This was helpful to me as it confirmed her maiden name and gave me ages for her parents, so I could find their baptisms.

      b) my gt grandfather John Gray, who in 1871 is with his mother, his wife and their two sons in their Norfolk village and also on a fishing smack. This was useful as it helped confirm that another chap on the vessel was John's brother and led me to believe that other members of the family I haven't found on censuses were probably also at sea on census night.
      ~ with love from Little Nell~
      Chowns, Dunt, Emms, Mealing, Purvey & Smoothy

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      • #4
        I've also found several double entries, one of which was very helpful. I have a niece staying with an uncle who gave an incorrect place of birth, but as all of her details were correct, I was able to confirm I had the right family. She was also reported as being at home on census night.
        Jenny

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        • #5
          I have only found one so far, a woman who was both with her husband in south London, and parents in the Cotswolds.

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          • #6
            I have also got people recorded twice, and agree its better than them not recorded at all.

            But at the same time we shouldn't just assume its them twice unless you can account for everyone else, cousins etc, with the same name.

            I'm sure you lot will have already made sure, but for beginners reading this thread it may be helpful.

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            • #7
              I've only had one person appearing twice .... or at least I think she does.

              She has quite a common name and on one census is with her parents and also a few doors away as a servant.

              It caused a lot of confusion when I first discovered 2 of her !!! but I was unable to find the 'other one' anywhere else (censuses or BMDs) so have had to conclude that it is the same person although there will always be that slight niggling doubt.


              ~ FOR PHOTO RESTORATIONS PLEASE SCAN AT A RESOLUTION OF 300-600 WITH THE SCALE AT 100% MINIMUM ~ http://restoreandcolour.brainwaving.co.uk

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              • #8
                I've one in 1851 where he's shown as being in hospital and at home - his wife probably didn't realise that he'd be counted at the hospital - one day I'll find out what was wrong with him;)

                And another that's in the lunatic asylum and at home a case of not wanting everyone else to know I think:D
                Sue

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by Sue from Southend View Post
                  And another that's in the lunatic asylum and at home
                  Multiple personality ? :D

                  ~ FOR PHOTO RESTORATIONS PLEASE SCAN AT A RESOLUTION OF 300-600 WITH THE SCALE AT 100% MINIMUM ~ http://restoreandcolour.brainwaving.co.uk

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Rachel Scand View Post
                    Multiple personality ? :D


                    :D:D:D Very clever Rachel!
                    Sue

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                    • #11
                      Split personality?

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                      • #12
                        I found a double and got very confused until I was able to find her baptisim, and realised her mum had got married ( remarried - I doubt) and had another child.

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                        • #13
                          I have a couple too
                          One being a very unusual name (the only incidence of it on Ancestry) I know is definitely a duplication - he is visiting his parents as well as being recorded at lodgings in Newcastle, 30 miles away!

                          Another I had assumed was also a duplication for almost as long as I've been doing this - a 16 year old recorded as living with an aunt and also in lodgings in 1871 - who had the misfortune to die a couple of months later. So that was that, I thought, until I was playing about on FreeBMD one day & came across a mystery marriage (This is a fairly rare surname but I have 12 instances of this particular first name/surname combination in my tree)

                          I won't bore you with all the details, but after a bit of digging it turned out there was an illegitimate son I didn't know about, born in the same village 6 months after my elusive rellie, his cousin - and he was the one who died. I'd not picked him up originally because of the spelling of his surname on his birth registration. The "other", who married, WAS mine, and he didn't appear on the next census because he & his family emigrated... thanks to a period of free access to Ancestry's American records a few months ago I found him there in 1880 & later, and have also turned up some gems like army enlistment papers for sons, and even a couple of death certificates, all proving without a doubt that he is "my" chap.

                          So I suppose I'd echo Jewels & Rachel's caution about looking for someone else with the same name. But its great when all the pieces of a jigsaw come together to make a nice picture, isn't it
                          Vicky

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                          • #14
                            When they allowed it, I made it a point of honour to appear twice on the censuses. I'm in Portsmouth in 1981 to celebrate a great aunt's birthday (she is on the 1891 census, aged 1 day and wangled a 90th birthday card out of the census enumerator.)

                            A great uncle by marriage is on the 1901 census twice: safely in the bosom of his family.... and have a dirty weekend with his wife to be!
                            Phoenix - with charred feathers
                            Researching Skillings from Norfolk, Sworn from Salisbury and Adams in Malborough, Devon.

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                            • #15
                              My great-grandfather appears as a double entry TWICE, once in 1891 and again in 1901.

                              In fact, I don't think it was that uncommon for naval personnel to have double entries. He is recorded as being at home with wife and family in both instances, and also on board ship in port, although in 1891 the entries are as follows:

                              1891 Census
                              RG12; Piece: 872; Folio 97; Page 5; GSU roll: 6095982
                              Avondale St Ursula Road St Jude Portsea Portsmouth
                              Eliza Bond Head Widow 65 Living on her own means
                              Bucks Winchendon
                              Joseph T Purkis Boarder M 33 Engineer Royal Navy Hants
                              Portsmouth
                              Jessie J.E Purkis Boarder’s wife M 31 Surrey Norwood
                              Cecil H.J. Purkis Boarder’s son 3 Hants Portsmouth
                              Elsie Alice Sharp Visitor 11 Scholar Middlesex Camden Town
                              Isabella Burkinshaw Servant 17 General Servant Domestic
                              Joseph Symons Boarder Widower 51 Master Caulker Devon
                              Devonport


                              Class: RG12; Piece: 863; Folio 130; Page 9; GSU roll: 6095973
                              Victoria and Albert Royal Navy Portsmouth Harbour Portsmouth Hampshire
                              Joseph T. Purkis Married 33 Engineer Hants Portsmouth
                              and others
                              In handwriting: Not to Be Abstracted
                              List of the Officers, Crew, Royal Marines and All Other Persons NOT on board on the night of Sunday, April 5th 1891


                              So a census entry for people NOT ON BOARD! LOL!
                              Elizabeth
                              Research Interests:
                              England:Purkis, Stilwell, Quintrell, White (Surrey - Guildford), Jeffcoat, Bond, Alexander, Lamb, Newton (Lincolnshire, Stalybridge, London)
                              Scotland:Richardson (Banffshire), Wishart (Kincardineshire), Johnston (Kincardineshire)

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