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→Advice for using Census Records
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#Names may be misspelled – both Christian and surnames could have variant spellings. | #Names may be misspelled – both Christian and surnames could have variant spellings. | ||
#Ages and birthplaces may not be accurate – consider who was reporting the information. | #Ages and birthplaces may not be accurate – consider who was reporting the information. | ||
#Relationships may not be expressed in terms understood today – regionally “in law” and “step” are terms that have different meanings. | #Relationships may not be expressed in terms understood today – regionally and historically “in law” and “step” are terms that have different meanings. | ||
#Jurisdictions changed – as population grew and shifted, jurisdictions changed. | #Jurisdictions changed – as population grew and shifted, jurisdictions changed. | ||
#People may not be where they are expected – a disaster or plague may have forced a family to move. | #People may not be where they are expected – a disaster or plague may have forced a family to move. | ||
#Pages may be unreadable (either illegible, torn, smeared, or faded) – use “zoom” and other enhancements on digital copiers. | #Pages may be unreadable (either illegible, torn, smeared, or faded) – use “zoom” and other enhancements on digital copiers. | ||
#Indexes may be incomplete or incorrect – | #Indexes may be incomplete or incorrect – indexers were not always accurate.<br> | ||
If you cannot find a person it means you need to vary your search parameters or search in other indexes. If you believe your ancestor was in a particular census area, search the census even if your ancestor is not in the index. | If you cannot find a person it means you need to vary your search parameters or search in other indexes. If you believe your ancestor was in a particular census area, search the census even if your ancestor is not in the index. | ||
Census details changed little from year to year. See a [http://www.thepotteries.org/education/census.htm detailed listing] of the changes made to the census over the years starting in 1841. At the [http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/Census.html GENUKI] website you will find an excellent explanation of the census records and availability. <br> {{further|England Census: Further Information and Description}}<br> | Census details changed little from year to year. See a [http://www.thepotteries.org/education/census.htm detailed listing] of the changes made to the census over the years starting in 1841. At the [http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/Census.html GENUKI] website you will find an excellent explanation of the census records and availability. <br> {{further|England Census: Further Information and Description}}<br> | ||
==== Searching Tips ==== | |||
Here are some tips for searching in online indexes: | |||
*Use [https://www.lifewire.com/web-search-tricks-to-know-4046148 wildcards]. | |||
*Try different spelling variations for first names and surnames or even just try the first letter. | |||
*Include a range of birth years (ages are prone to be inaccurate). | |||
*Find the family in every possible census and compare information. | |||
*Always consult the original census image, do not only rely on indexes or transcriptions. | |||
*Consider using street addresses to locate people in the census. A relative may be living at a previous or future address. | |||
==== Worksheets ==== | ==== Worksheets ==== | ||
A generic '''[[Media:British_Census_Form.pdf|census worksheet]]''' can be used to record information found in all census records. Or, forms for specific census years are available at Ancestry.com: | A generic '''[[Media:British_Census_Form.pdf|census worksheet]]''' can be used to record information found in all census records. Or, forms for specific census years are available at Ancestry.com: | ||
:*[https://c.mfcreative.com/pdf/trees/charts/UKCensus1841.pdf 1841 Census Form] (PDF) | :*[https://c.mfcreative.com/pdf/trees/charts/UKCensus1841.pdf 1841 Census Form] (PDF) | ||