Genealogy Chat

hi all,

i have found today one of my lot on the 1871 census twice! does this happen or are they two different people?

1. Joseph William simons aged 5
brn 1866 middlesex
with aunt ann eld in mitcham.

2.Joseph Symonds aged 15 (on image is 5 though)
brn 1856/66 stepney,middlesex
with parents william and emma
and younger sister florence.

the image on the second is definately aged 5 ( its a mark next to it that looks like a 1) and it's definately the same family. all others brn the correct place. and definately the correct aunt as i have her marriage and the younger sister florence was born in mitcham the year before (i assume they were visiting)

any ideas would be great, i'm just a little confused.

thanks.leanne.x

This happens now and again. The family probably just listed everyone in the family, forgetting that little Joseph had gone to visit aunty who also put him on her census form.

Kath. x

ok so it did happen. i was just a little worried incase i was following the wrong person or had got mixed up somewhere. i'll keep ploughing through then. :)

thanks kath.x

According to an article I read last year duplication of entries happened quite often in rural areas. The enumerator wouldn't be sure where his patch ended, so would stray into the next one. Have come across this while searching the 1851 returns from Herefordshire.

ok thanks that's really helpful.

i dind't want to discount one of them, but it's the first time i have come across it. i'll know for next time now. thanks a lot to you all.