What assumptions can ever be safely made?

[RecursiveS]

I am currently on a project that involves collating information from, for example, parish registers and inputting that data into a database.
I am currently looking at baptism records for a parish and, from these, there are recurring pairs of 'fathers' and 'mothers' with the same surname. Whilst these are almost certainly the same father/mother pair, there is no absolute guarantee that that is the case...
Could any of you more experienced genealogists give an opinion on how I should treat these 'pairs'?

As I see it, my option are:

1. I can treat each pair as a 'definite' pair and only enter them once into the database as mother & father of child X.

2. I can determine that I do not have enough information to treat them as a 'definite' pair and add duplicate entries (of mothers and fathers) to the database.

3. Do 2, but make some form of note that they are probably (but not definitely) the same pair that bore child X (or Y 0r Z).

Instinct tells me that '3' is the best option but I would welcome any or all of your comments.

[Guy Etchells]

Try to narrow down the possibilities-
Were couple x married when child y was born?
What is the age gap between child y and child z?
Did parents of y die before z was born etc.?
By a process of elimination it is often possible to rule out all but the awkward few.
Cheers
Guy

[Essex export]

Hi

Can I throw in two more 'weighting' factors I often use in your situation.

1. How common is the surname? If it's rare, it is safer to assume just the one pair of parents.

2. Otherwise the spacing of birthdates is usually a good indicator.

Duplication of first names is no indication one way or the other.

Regards
Andy

[Cal241]

Hi

& welcome to rootchat ! 

For me your option 3 is the one I would go with

I have done that with mine and as I get better at this/find more info I delete it. I had one of my poor ancestors marrying a gal who had an illegitmate child who then commited suicide...... thankfully 4 years one I have found that it was the wrong tree I was barking up !!
Always keep info you have as you never know it could be important

Cal 

[RecursiveS]

Thank you Guy for your reply, and your comments are indeed how I would tackle things if any other information was available. Unfortunately, I have to deal with setting up a database without having the information that might become available when I input the next set of records (marriages, deaths etc).

I suppose this could be classed as genealogy on a village/town scale - I need to capture the information first and then make the links as and when further data becomes available to narrow down the possibilities...

Having read a few posts in these fora, it seems that instinct can sometime give you a clue, but it must always be reinforced by hard evidence at some stage - so option 3 seems to be the way I should go.

Anyone care to comment on that option choice?

[RecursiveS]

Cal & Essex.
Thanks for the comments and welcome!

You posted when I was replying to Guy, but the more I think about it, option 3 is the way to go.

Thanks to all for your comments (thus far!)

[Cal241]

Way to go RecursiveS 

[Boongie Pam]

I would say it depends on what you are using the data for.

I'm a purest when it comes to data and data usage.

In my mind, any database representation should reflect only the data in the original documents.  A database should collate data.  Assumptions can be applied to data but not be loaded into it.   Otherwise it can give a false idea of "truth" which can only be what is in the original documents.

I agree Andy & Guy's posts are good ways of firming up your assumptions for summarising data.  Many parish records include places of residence this would also validate supposed connections.

For a database I would use number 2 on your list.  When you summarise your data move into 3.

I have a database of records for a village and I can filter on parents forename and surname and I get some wildly large families - I'd rather see that than make the assumption.  If it post 1841 I use the census to ringfence families.

All the best,
Pam
 

[sillgen]

Have a look at the online parish clerk databases and see what they do.  They are inputting parish records and seem to have it very well set up.  The Sussex one is www.sussex-opc.org
Andrea