Any tips on narrowing down a search for a birth on Scotlands People.
I am looking for a birth of one John Hamilton, son of William Hamilton and Ellen McNamara, married to Jessie Ramsay.
At his death in 1981 he is shown as being 68. When he married at the end of November in 1932 he is shown as 20. So, he turned 20 between end November 1931 and end November 1932 ---- so he was born probably 1912, possibly 1911.
Not knowing where he was born (other than Scotland) a straight out search using name and birth year (1911 to 1912) delivers 5 pages of possibles.
Good people, Is there any way of narrowing this or similar birth searches down?
Searching births
Moderator: Global Moderators
Re: Searching births
One clue to take is the parents' marriage. William Hamilton and Helen McNamara married in 1900 in Anderston, Glasgow. The child(ren) may have been born in Glasgow, possibly registered in Anderston.
Starting with all 1911-1912 John Hamilton (male) birth registrations in Scotland gives 111 results. Narrowing it down to a guess at Glasgow City registrations brings you down to 34 results, none in Anderston. Still too many.
Another clue is where Helen Hamilton / McNamara's death was registered. There is a matching result in 1953 in Springburn, Glasgow, aged 74, giving a birth year in the region of 1879, a reasonable match for a 1900 marriage. That increases, without proving it, that they may have been in the Glasgow area at the time of John's 1911-1912 birth. That death certificate should indicate whether she was married or widowed, hence if William was still living at that time. Check also who registered the death - hopefully one of their children.
The 1901 census shows a possibility for this family, staying with his parents in St Rollox, Glasgow:
. . . . William Hamilton, age 23, born Glasgow, brass moulder
. . . . Helen Hamilton, age 22, born Glasgow
. . . . Helen Hamilton, age 0, born Glasgow
Searching for young Helen's birth in 1900-1901 in Glasgow gives 4 results, of which I would pick on the Anderston birth first to see that it confirms the marriage date (year) and the mother's Maiden surname.
If that proves to be the right family group, then the 1911 census is the next place to look, even though it is unlikely to include the John that you are seeking. It should give a location to start looking for John's birth.
A possible family group is this one in Possilpark, Glasgow
. . . . William Hamilton, age 32
. . . . Helen Hamilton, age 33
. . . . Annie Hamilton, age 9
. . . . William Hamilton, age 1
A look for the children's birth certificates would help show if this is the right family or not (check mother's maiden surname and marriage date).
If this is the right family group in 1911, then young Helen is missing, possibly died young.
All the best,
AndrewP
Starting with all 1911-1912 John Hamilton (male) birth registrations in Scotland gives 111 results. Narrowing it down to a guess at Glasgow City registrations brings you down to 34 results, none in Anderston. Still too many.
Another clue is where Helen Hamilton / McNamara's death was registered. There is a matching result in 1953 in Springburn, Glasgow, aged 74, giving a birth year in the region of 1879, a reasonable match for a 1900 marriage. That increases, without proving it, that they may have been in the Glasgow area at the time of John's 1911-1912 birth. That death certificate should indicate whether she was married or widowed, hence if William was still living at that time. Check also who registered the death - hopefully one of their children.
The 1901 census shows a possibility for this family, staying with his parents in St Rollox, Glasgow:
. . . . William Hamilton, age 23, born Glasgow, brass moulder
. . . . Helen Hamilton, age 22, born Glasgow
. . . . Helen Hamilton, age 0, born Glasgow
Searching for young Helen's birth in 1900-1901 in Glasgow gives 4 results, of which I would pick on the Anderston birth first to see that it confirms the marriage date (year) and the mother's Maiden surname.
If that proves to be the right family group, then the 1911 census is the next place to look, even though it is unlikely to include the John that you are seeking. It should give a location to start looking for John's birth.
A possible family group is this one in Possilpark, Glasgow
. . . . William Hamilton, age 32
. . . . Helen Hamilton, age 33
. . . . Annie Hamilton, age 9
. . . . William Hamilton, age 1
A look for the children's birth certificates would help show if this is the right family or not (check mother's maiden surname and marriage date).
If this is the right family group in 1911, then young Helen is missing, possibly died young.
All the best,
AndrewP
Re: Searching births
Thank you Andrew, I see where you are going.
I would take a punt that the family you have in the 1901 census is the correct family as John Hamilton's marriage registration reveals that his father William was indeed a brass moulder.
I am assuming that is a typo in the 1911 census where you have Helen Hamilton (assumedly William's wife) as 22 rather than 32.
John's wife Jessie was born in Springburn and they married in Springburn so it's a fair musing that he may have been born in Glasgow at least.
I'll follow your suggestions.
I would take a punt that the family you have in the 1901 census is the correct family as John Hamilton's marriage registration reveals that his father William was indeed a brass moulder.
I am assuming that is a typo in the 1911 census where you have Helen Hamilton (assumedly William's wife) as 22 rather than 32.
John's wife Jessie was born in Springburn and they married in Springburn so it's a fair musing that he may have been born in Glasgow at least.
I'll follow your suggestions.
Re: Searching births
Correction - my typo - Helen was age 33 in 1911 census (now corrected above). 
AndrewP
AndrewP