This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: NutmegGreenwood Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.britisles.scotland.wig.general/2120.5.1.1/mb.ashx Message Board Post: For those AGES in the 1841 Census, did you take into account the instructions for recording down of those ages ? Anyone OVER 15 was to have their age rounded DOWN to the year ending in a 5 or a 0. Ages 15-19 would be seen as 15. Ages 20-14 would be seen as 20. Ages 21-24 would be seen as being 20. That leaves the door open for someone to perhaps be 35 and report their age as 34....they'd then be RECORDED as being 30. I have a relative who was 50 in 1841 at the census [just had their 50th birthday], they reported to the Enumerator they were 44...making them show up as 40 on the census, a full 10 years off their correct age. How did they know anyone would ever be viewing these same documents long past their deaths ? Children's ages were supposed to be the actual age, however I've seen a few that were also rounded down, the Enumerator did not follow the instructions. Much better to use the 1851 Census for ages than the 1841 Census but still must use caution as there were quite a lot of creative ages given to Enumerators and not always by the subject themselves. Meg Greenwood in OKlahoma USA ====================================== ======================================== Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.