Stupid 1841 question - Genealogists' Forum

Kit · #1 13-03-10, 10:09

I know they rounded ages on the 1841 census but did they round up or down, or to the nearest 5 years?

Sue from Southend · #2 13-03-10, 10:46

Not a stupid question at all - I always have to think about it! They rounded down.

From the Ancestry website about the 1841 census ~

"*The ages of people over 15 years old were usually rounded down to the nearest 5 years. Therefore, someone who was actually 24 years would have their age listed as 20, and someone who was actually 27 years old would have their age listed as 25."

Kit · #3 13-03-10, 10:52

Thanks Sue. I've going crazy trying to work out plus and minus 5 and hoping they lived in the same county as they were born. It's too late here to work that hard. lol

Nell · #4 13-03-10, 12:55

Not a stupid question. And I've found in 1841 that many ages are exact, some are rounded up and some down to the nearest 5 (not the same as rounded up/down by 5). I also have three Jewish families in my husband's tree where they were all rounded down by ten years!

Kit · #5 13-03-10, 21:02

oh dear 10 years?

I tend to look for, when I'm not confused, the year of birth down to the nearest 5 and then widen the search if necessary. My biggest problem is when the person is not living with any family, it's harder to decide if the person I've found belongs to me.