Thanks Russell, that sounds good to me. That's like when our daughter and her two boys were living here when the census was taken. Except that Canada has a "long form" for every fifth household and a "short form" for all others. I wonder what folks will think about that information in 150 years. (Or maybe it won't be made available to researchers at all). Daphne Russell Laird wrote: > Hi Daphne, > > Bother? No way. Glad to hear from you, and your question is one > of obvious validity. I cannot answer with 100% truth, because I > don't know it, but I think that most often, when we see people > with surnames other than that of the "main" family at a residence, > they are usually either hired help or relatives. > > In the case of Ellen and Willie Lard listed in the Crabb household, > I would lean toward the "relative" explanation. There is no > occupation listed for Ellen (who is 21 in the census). Doesn't > mean she wasn't a hired housekeeper, but the census taker > who wrote the information seemed to be pretty consistent about > describing someone as a "laborer" or as being involved in > "farming" in other households, and in this one. Joseph Edwards, > for instance, had his occupation described as "farming" in the > Crabb household. > > Willie Lard, a 13-year-old male, has a check by his name in > the "Attended School within the year" column. > > I think Ellen and Willie were probably an orphaned niece > and nephew, or children "taken in" when a neighbor or > friend Lard died. > > > Russell; > > Sorry to bother you but, I'm "listening in" again, 'cause that's the > > area where my LAIRD/GARRISON couple were some time before 02 Oct 1830, > > when William GARRISON was born. Were the LARDs in the CRABB household > > hired help or perhaps slaves? Is that information that was recorded in > > those days? Daphne