The numbers assigned to the houses in the Orkney FHS census transcripts are used purely for indexing purposes. They certainly can't be used to 'match' properties between two different census years. The references consist of two parts: an enumeration district number and a household number. The enumeration district numbers are not necessarily the same as in the original returns. For example, the original 1851 returns for South Ronaldsay & Burray were divided into three parts: St Mary's Parish (5 enumeration districts), St Peter's (7) and Burray (2). In the index, these have been combined to produce enumeration dictricts 1-14. The household numbers are, as far as I'm aware, the original household schedule numbers, but I'm not sure that these can be assumed to be 100% accurate. The schedule numbers were generated by the enumerators as part of the process of taking the census returns and would be based on the order in which they went around the islands giving out the forms. They may have taken a similar route each year and they may have started and finished at the same places but it is highly unilkely that the route would have been identical each time and as new properties were built and old ones abandoned the numbering would be clearly be affected. Dave Annal Watford, England http://homepage.ntlworld.com/dave.annal/ Genuki Orkney webpages maintainer http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/sct/OKI/index.html ----- Original Message ----- From: "Fiona" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, June 05, 2005 9:36 AM Subject: Re: [Orkney] Census 1861 & 1871 SR&Burray >> I'm sorry I didn't make myself clear as to the exact nature of my query. >> I'm trying to find out how the numbering of the residences was carried >> out >> in the 1861 & 1871 Burray census. Was 11/ 34 Burray the same place in >> 1861 > & >> 1871 census. > > My answer obviously wasn't very clear either. I don't have a definitive > answer but I'd be very surprised if the numbering remained the same. After > all, there would surely be new houses built and they'd surely be numbered > so > all the houses in one area had consecutive numbers? > > Also as the enumeration districts don't always have the same numbers from > census to census I would be very surprised if the houses did. > > Fiona > Orkney > > > > -- > No virus found in this outgoing message. > Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. > Version: 7.0.323 / Virus Database: 267.6.1 - Release Date: 03/06/05 > > > ==== ORKNEY Mailing List ==== >>>>>TIP: To search the archives of this list go to >>>>>http://listsearches.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/listsearch.pl?list=ORKNEY on >>>>>the next page enter your search word(s) and select the year click the >>>>>submit query button<<<< > > ============================== > View and search Historical Newspapers. Read about your ancestors, find > marriage announcements and more. Learn more: > http://www.ancestry.com/s13969/rd.ashx > >