In a message dated 25/02/2004 11:19:37 GMT Standard Time, relder@tiscali.co.uk writes: > When filling in places names where family were born or died, etc. in > 1800/1900 do you put down as I.E Birtley Co Durham or Birtley Tyne &Wear, or > Cumberland/ Cumbria or does it not really matter as the Boundary may change at a > later date. It is just that the census show them as the old names. Just a > thought > This question is discussed at length on this site http://www.abcounties.co.uk/newgaz/cen.htm#section1 For censuses it states; From the 1851 Census onwards, the actual enumerators' books were not re-ordered into historic County order (as the 1841 returns had been). They were stored in division order and, within each division, in registration county order. Subsequently these records have been filmed and indexed in this order. Genealogists need to be aware that the references to "county" in the Place Name Indexes to the Census returns from 1851 onwards are to registration county and NOT to historic County. This matter is discussed in more detail in Section 4.5 below. Appendix C provides a list of those parishes, townships, etc. which lay in a registration county of a different name to their historic County at the time of the 1851 Census. Appendix D presents a similar list for the time of the 1881 Census. Regards Stan Mapstone