Genealogy Chat

Iknow what you mean about places of birth being different on census. My gggrandfather on 2 of the census has 2 different birth places 1 in harrogate, the other in kmasebrough, and they ended up in huddersfield where my ggrandfather was born. So i thought he my be have moved around due to his job of being a cabinet maker. Helen

From the Eyam parish records I'm sure that it is him William baptised 16/2/1800 parents Benjamin and Nanny, a later date shows the baptism of a daughter to Nanny and Benjamin - Sarah April 1819, I know that there is a 19 year gap but in a small place like Eyam I'm sure it is the same family

Joanne, Have you looked at a transcription for census 1851 or the actual image? Sometimes there are thick black lines through the figures in the age column which make the actual age hard to read. It is not unusual to have a different place of birth listed in one census, or an incorrect age. It often depended on who who gave the information to the enumerator - the person themselves, or a relative. Eyam is only a village, so if you can only find one baptism within a 2 or 3 year period, it is more than likely to be yours. At the end of the day, one census return is only one bit of documentation about a person - you have to compare that with all the other references you have and sometimes say this bit of information was incorrect. Jay

Thanks I tried magnifying the 51 image but the quality is really poor and I was also confused with the appearance of what could be another of Williams daughters - Charlotte and what seems to be a grandchild with the surname Samson or Sansom as later in another census another grandchild called William Thos Samson is showing but have no idea which of William Hancocks children these belong to I know that the quality is poor as some of the names have been translated as Hamrock.

if you look on image it says 51 but they have taken it as 57 so you have got right family looks like Veal presser 53 Broad lane Jeanette update could say scale presser like 1861

You can sometimes find that the census ages don't match up. I held back from sending for a marriage certificate for 12 months because I thought it wasn't the right one due to the age of the groom being 6 years different to the 1881 census record. I have also seen the place of birth change on census records aswell - don't discount anything until you have either confirmed or cancelled it out by finding more information!

Maybe there's just a confusion about where he was born - he may have said Sheffield because that's where he lived, or the enumerator may have written it so much he was on automatic pilot. 6 years is odd, especially as he is so consistent later on. Usually the earlier censuses are more accurate and people get more forgetful about their ages as they get older!

Have worked it back from my great grandmother whose name we knew and that her maiden name was Briggs Her parents were John and Mary Briggs Mary's maiden name was Hancock and when looking at Mary Briggs on teh Census William is shown from there we got that Mary's maiden name was Hancock born 1830 and she had sisters, William her father is on the 1861 and 1871 and the 1851 with her. Have retraced my steps for the last three nights and I can't see anywhere that I could have gone wrong and got the wrong family

My first thought is that none of the first names are uncommon and perhaps the 1851 chap isn't yours? nell

Help and advice please Have found what I'm sure is my great great grandfather - William Hancock However year of birth changes and so does place of birth William Hancock on the 1861 census in Sheffield with his daughter Mary Birggs( my great granma )and John Briggs - shows born Eyam 1800 He is there again in 1871 again showing born 1800 in Eyam In 1851 he is there again with the Briggs and his wife mary and Hannah and Sarah his other daughters and another that I hadn't heard of called Charlotte but this time his date of birth is different by 6 years - 1794 and place of birth is given as Sheffield. I have looked at the Eyam parish reg and have found a William Hancock born to Benjamin and Nanny in 1800. But how can the 1851 be wrong if it is but so many years?