1881 census transcription errors

[PaulC]

I've just added a household from the 1881 England & Wales census and have a couple of quick questions:

1. I know we're supposed to enter names exactly as transcribed, but does this apply even when the transcription is completely mangled and includes question marks?

2. I've been adding corrected names whereever relevant, but is there any way to remove an erroneous middle name?

 

[peter]

I've just added a household from the 1881 England & Wales census and have a couple of quick questions:

1. I know we're supposed to enter names exactly as transcribed, but does this apply even when the transcription is completely mangled and includes question marks?

2. I've been adding corrected names whereever relevant, but is there any way to remove an erroneous middle name?

You'll find that you can't enter question marks.

The only way of removing a middle name for someone who had no middle names is to enter a full stop. Nothing you enter in the optional section of the form affects the matching process - it's primarily for the benefit of the member themselves (though corrected surnames and maiden names are eventually added to the relevant indexes so may benefit other members).

But bear in mind that someone who had no middle name on their birth certificate may have acquired a middle name when they were baptised - hardly anyone bothered to amend the registration.

 

[PaulC]

The only way of removing a middle name for someone who had no middle names is to enter a full stop. Nothing you enter in the optional section of the form affects the matching process - it's primarily for the benefit of the member themselves (though corrected surnames and maiden names are eventually added to the relevant indexes so may benefit other members).

The name in question was Mary Ball who in 1881 was living with her daughter's family: on both Ancestry and FMP the transcription is Mary Ball Mathison which is wrong. I've corrected the surname but of course it now reads as "Ball, Mary Ball" which looks a bit odd!

As for the question marks I didn't try, the best course seemed to be breaking the rule and entering the name as it was written on the form. I'm just hoping that doesn't affect anything.

 

[Ian]

Hi Paul, I'd put it in as written in ancestry / FMP as the lost cousins site is about matching, and you will also be adding other members of the same family who have the correct surname. I wondered (without checking) whether you could find a way to enter the same person more than once so Lost Cousins would show two Marys's each with the alternate surname aiding the matching either way.

 

[peter]

It's not necessary to enter a person more than once - enter them as shown in the transcription omitting any question marks and anything in brackets.