On Tue, 27 Oct 2015 13:33:15 -0400, "Percival P. Cassidy" <Nobody@NotMyISP.net> wrote: >Did US census records distinguish England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern >Ireland separately as "country of birth"? Or could "England" in, e.g., >the 1900 census cover all parts of the UK? US Census records are mostly self-reported to a pollster, and from a number of years of census searches it seems to largely depend on the family head's memory or preferences. -- Don Kirkman donsno2@charter.net

On 10/27/2015 3:54 PM, Don Kirkman wrote: > On Tue, 27 Oct 2015 13:33:15 -0400, "Percival P. Cassidy" > <Nobody@NotMyISP.net> wrote: > >> Did US census records distinguish England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern >> Ireland separately as "country of birth"? Or could "England" in, e.g., >> the 1900 census cover all parts of the UK? > > US Census records are mostly self-reported to a pollster, and from a > number of years of census searches it seems to largely depend on the > family head's memory or preferences. > In the US, it also depends on what the census taker understands of what he was told. I have a 2nd great grandfather whose father was born in Philadelphia Pa. This information is from his parents bible which I have, and all census except the 1880 census. In that census his father's parents are listed as being from England. I know that my father, and grandfather loved to talk, so assume it was inherited from from my 2nd great grandfather. On this assumption, the census taker arrived at a time when things were slack on the farm. He asked my 2nd GG about his family and my 2nd GG gave him the complete story. Telling the census taker that his father was born in Philadelphia, and his grand parents were born in England. After a time the census taker realizes that he is getting behind schedule and eventual gets out to his buggy. As he drove away he realized he did not record the birth place of the parent. He thought about it, remembered someone was born in England and that is what used to answer those to questions.