Differences .....

Gran · Post by **Gran** » Sat Jul 02, 2005 7:50 am

Can anyone explain why the information on the census in Scotland is fuller than the English equivalent ? In England in 1841 it is difficult to judge ages as figures are rounded up or down.

Post by **AndrewP** » Sat Jul 02, 2005 9:37 am

Hi Gran,

The 1841 census in Scotland had the adult ages rounded down to the nearest 5 or 10 years. Full details of the instructions given to the enumerators can be found on the TalkingScot 1841 census page at http://www.talkingscot.com/censuses/census-1841.htm - it also explains the limited information concerning the birthplace and the occupation. In the 1841 census, there was no information to tell you what the relationship of the other occupants was, to the head of the household.

The amount of information taken improved in 1851, and improved again by 1861. From 1861 to 1901 there were only minor changes to the information taken.

All the best,

Andrew Paterson

Gran · Post by **Gran** » Sat Jul 02, 2005 9:59 am

Thanks for the reply Andrew, so it is the same as the English census! So if that is the case how is it I have a lookup of the 1841 census in Scotland and the man and wifes ages are given as 50, but the family are listed as 19, 17, 15, 13 and 7 years of age? it appears that only the 15 year old is a rounded figure

Maybe I should look at this family again.

Post by **AndrewP** » Sat Jul 02, 2005 10:23 am

I have seen these types of ages given on an 1841 census. There were some enumerators who did not round the ages down and gave the correct age. Count it as a bonus if you get one of these census pages.

All the best,

Andrew Paterson

LesleyB · Post by **LesleyB** » Sat Jul 02, 2005 10:31 pm

Hi
In a lot of the 1841 census material I've seen it seems the adults ages are rounded down, but the children are not. This might explain the entry you mention with adults both at age 50 (I'd be guessing this might have been rounded down) but helpfully their children's actual ages are given. (bearing in mind the usual errors, misheard or mis-given info etc...)

I'm not sure that I've ever seen children's ages rounded down.

Best wishes
Lesley

Post by **AndrewP** » Sat Jul 02, 2005 11:04 pm

lbathgate wrote:In a lot of the 1841 census material I've seen it seems the adults ages are rounded down, but the children are not. ... I'm not sure that I've ever seen children's ages rounded down.

If the enumerator followed the rules, then the rounding down applied to ages 15 upwards. See http://www.talkingscot.com/censuses/census-1841.htm for the full story.

All the best,

Andrew Paterson