I have just completed transcribing the 1841 census for Urquhart and Logie Wester and have come across a difficulty that could cause some confusion with surnames. The transcription is for the UK Census project where the rule is that we transcribe 'as is', even when one can be pretty sure that what one transcribes is incorrect, in a few cases. No relationships are given in the 1841 census. Households are enumerated. One can be pretty sure that where first a man, then a woman, followed by a number of children are enumerated, this is a family unit of husband, wife and children. The problem arises when some enumerators give what appears to be the maiden surname of the woman, which is fairly common. They then give the children, usually reverting to the father's surname for the first child and then using 'ditto' for the remaining children. In some cases the enumerator appears to have slipped up, does not enter the father's surname for the first child but uses the ditto under what appears to be the mother's maiden name. Following the 'as is' rule we transcribers then have to transcribe the children under the mother's surname, which is likely incorrect for the children. Just something that could be useful to keep in mind when doing your research and using the 1841 census. Lilian