Hello Listers, While searching through sequential census I've noticed, among other things, some significant discrepancies in persons ages between the ten year census periods. I suppose for some people there was less importance attached to remembering precise dates in those earlier years, and may they have only thought about it when the census man called. I understand it was once thought that some family Heads intentionally advanced their age so as to qualify earlier for the newly introduced pension. It sounds like a cute plan but I would doubt that the authorities , even in the mid 19th century, would let that pass unquestioned. One of my families in fact showed that either the census taker, or the family Heads , had added ten more years to their previously established age. There are probably a good many theories (and stories) about census errors, discrepancies, and I would be most interested to read comments from Listers on this subject. I hope I’m not re-introducing an already much discussed subject. Thank you. Frank, MANITOBA

Hi Frank, A lot of people didn't write well enough to record birthdates so probably were not certain of a childs birth year. Also imagine a father looking at his kids and recording them by how tall they were. If you grew taller than your older sister your dad would be in a dilema. I'm one of 7 and my father carried a card in his wallet with our birth dates on it as he could never remember how old we were..-)) I generally have found the census closest to their birth is most likely to be nearly correct. They also would not think that 150 years later we would be searching for them so who cared how old they were. Marg >From the Beautiful British Columbia Cariboo Region, Canada ----- Original Message ----- From: "Frank Green" <letellierfg@hotmail.com> To: "genealogy" <london-l@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, September 29, 2011 10:24 AM Subject: [LON] CENSUS Hello Listers, While searching through sequential census I've noticed, among other things, some significant discrepancies in persons ages between the ten year census periods. I suppose for some people there was less importance attached to remembering precise dates in those earlier years, and may they have only thought about it when the census man called. I understand it was once thought that some family Heads intentionally advanced their age so as to qualify earlier for the newly introduced pension. It sounds like a cute plan but I would doubt that the authorities , even in the mid 19th century, would let that pass unquestioned. One of my families in fact showed that either the census taker, or the family Heads , had added ten more years to their previously established age. There are probably a good many theories (and stories) about census errors, discrepancies, and I would be most interested to read comments from Listers on this subject. I hope I’m not re-introducing an already much discussed subject. Thank you. Frank, MANITOBA