General Chat

Does anyone else come across the same problem.

I know for a fact that my Great Grandmother had x amount of siblings and they are recorded in the census, but years later in another family of the same surname the child appears and disappears from the original family.

SO .. did parents give their children away to their siblings ? And recorded on the census decide not to say neice or nephew but actually put son/daughter.

Very frustrating ... would explain why until now my granfather new the two brothers existed but they disappeared :D

Anyone else come across this frustrating problem????

Often it was a misunderstanding of the Enumerator ..as they did house visits to collect and record info,,plus half the people couldnt read or write,
6 children at one household probally was put down assuming a son or daughter,,!

I was friends with a girl who was given to an aunt who couldnt have children.Her parents had 5 other older children and very little money.Aunt was well off and offered my friend a better chance.
However,when my friend was 3 the aunt divorced and gave her back to her parents.Strange set up I know.lol

what I'm saying is its quite likely children lived wherever was most convenient for the families at the time.Extended families were much more common and little ones were often sent to stay with relatives if there was sickness in the family or in the neighbourhood even, in order to try and protect them.