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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Caithness => Topic started by: countingnames on Wednesday 20 January 21 07:55 GMT (UK)
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Hello, I am looking for a 1851 census entry for a Ann McKay (spelt alternatively as Anne MacKay).
Her census entry for 1841 looks like this:
Achinkail , Halkirk , Caithness
John Mackay Age 55
Anne Mackay Age 30 born Caithness
Janet Mackay Age 11
Donald Mackay Age 7
Mary Mackay Age 4
Johan Mackay Age 1 Mo
Janet, Donald and Mary are confirmed as the children of John and Anne. I assume Johan also is one of their sons.
I cannot find the 1851 census record for this family.
Here is the Anne's 1861 census record:
Plockan , Halkirk , Caithness.
Ann Mckay Age 47 ag. lab born Thurso, Caithness
Mary Mckay Age 22
Roderick Mckay Age 9
I know Roderick is the son of Ann and John, born in 1850.
I assume by 1861 Anne's husband John is deceased since he is not listed in the above entry.
Anyone have any advice about how I can find a 1851 entry for Ann?
Thank you in advance! :)
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There is this one on Freecen:
Halkirk - address Brachour
John McKay 70 Pauper b Halkirk
Ann McKay 43 wife b Reay
Mary McKay 14 dau b Halkirk
John McKay 7 son b Halkirk
Roderic McKay 8mo son b Halkirk
William
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There is this one on Freecen:
Halkirk - address Brachour
John McKay 70 Pauper b Halkirk
Ann McKay 43 wife b Reay
Mary McKay 14 dau b Halkirk
John McKay 7 son b Halkirk
Roderic McKay 8mo son b Halkirk
William
That's it!!! Thank you so very much. :)
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Name: Johan Mackay Age: 1 Mo .... I assume Johan also is one of their sons.
No, don't assume that. Johan is a version of Johanna/Joan/Joanna/Joanne in the Highlands.
Also, I don't know which transcription you are using, but the far better transcription at FreeCEN https://freecen1.freecen.org.uk/cgi/search.pl says the baby is female.
The 1861 isn't yet on FreeCEN, but FindMyPast's transcription does include the information that Ann is widowed.
Millmoor has answered your specific question, but the answer to the general question is
(a) use a better transcription.
FreeCEN is the best available, but doesn't yet cover all years. However even FreeCEN is far from perfect because it does not include all the information from the header of each census page.
FindMyPast isn't as good as FreeCEN, because it doen't include all the details in the main page - you sometimes have to scroll down to see occupations and places of birth - and it adds a (usually mis)calculated year of birth, which is never recorded in the original census. Also it sometimes assigns people to the wrong household.
Ancestry is the worst, because it does all the same wrong things, but also it omits family relationships, and its ability to mangle even perfectly legible names and place names is legendary.
(b) once you have found a transcription, go to www.scotlandspeople, invest in a batch of credits and use a few of them to view and download the original document, so that you can eliminate all the errors made by transcribers.
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Although Achinkail, Halkirk, stated, there is an Achingale in next door Watten parish.
Skoosh.
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Name: Johan Mackay Age: 1 Mo .... I assume Johan also is one of their sons.
No, don't assume that. Johan is a version of Johanna/Joan/Joanna/Joanne in the Highlands.
Also, I don't know which transcription you are using, but the far better transcription at FreeCEN https://freecen1.freecen.org.uk/cgi/search.pl says the baby is female.
The 1861 isn't yet on FreeCEN, but FindMyPast's transcription does include the information that Ann is widowed.
Millmoor has answered your specific question, but the answer to the general question is
(a) use a better transcription.
FreeCEN is the best available, but doesn't yet cover all years. However even FreeCEN is far from perfect because it does not include all the information from the header of each census page.
FindMyPast isn't as good as FreeCEN, because it doen't include all the details in the main page - you sometimes have to scroll down to see occupations and places of birth - and it adds a (usually mis)calculated year of birth, which is never recorded in the original census. Also it sometimes assigns people to the wrong household.
Ancestry is the worst, because it does all the same wrong things, but also it omits family relationships, and its ability to mangle even perfectly legible names and place names is legendary.
(b) once you have found a transcription, go to www.scotlandspeople, invest in a batch of credits and use a few of them to view and download the original document, so that you can eliminate all the errors made by transcribers.
Thank you for all the advice. Very useful. :)