Your Favourite Census Mistranscriptions!

[Paul E]

'Butcher JOINTEYman'

Probably a much more appropriate job description!

[JLo]

I was inspired by this topic to have yet another look for the Lowenthals on 1881 and I found them - transcribed as Leonathal.  When I looked at the original record, even I would have mistranscribed it!
Anyway thanks for the inspiration 
Julie

[Paul E]

Hi Julie

The more I think about it, the more I think that a lot of 'missing' people on the census indeces are really mistranscribed.  I have  a personal theory that a lot of the companies that do the transcriptions use myopic monkeys!  However, I know that sometimes the text is really hard to decypher.
Congratulations on your find though!

Paul

[hlbradd]

My favourite is my great-great-grandfather Samuel Ferry.

1901 has him down as 'Surveyor....... of cats meat'

Was a bit confused - I had visions of him standing in the knackers yard inspecting piles of meat.  Then I realised it should have been Purveyor !

And to think, in 1881 he was only a butcher !

Helen

p.s.  have also found a Jane (mother) and Jane (daughter) both transcribed as Rose on the 1881.  No wonder I couldn't find them for days!

[Lloydy]

In 1881 Cornelius Nunnerley, Son  but in 1891 he had changed to Cornelia Nunnerley, daughter!!!!!  I didn't think sex-change operations were available then!!!!

Someone checked the original image for 1891 and it's clearly Cornelius - think the transcriber must have been having a bad day.


Jan

[buttercup]

In 1871 i got Bogan (if i remember correctly)  for Bryan, what was wierd though all their children were listed as Bryan...

In 1871 i also have some wierd name which sounded very foreign (cant remember at teh moment) but after a few days of close scrutiny i worked it out.. it should have been Pickering! (it wasnt easy though so ill forgive them)

BC

[Sue Thomas]

Found this one recently.........
1871 Census St pancras (RG10/242 Fo 62 p14)
Emily(Harris) daug 1 Bootmaker Do(Middx St Pancras)
I knew they left school earlier in those days but surely this must be illegal?
Ok the guy in the next line is a Bootmaker but the writer has not put a line through.......so is this the youngest worker? or is it a tax scam?

[Paul E]

Could well be a tax scam, Sue!
But there may be something above which says for another of the daughter's profession - 'Bootmaker's Daughter' - hence the 'do'.  I keep coming across references to 'Miners Daughter' in profession here and there!

Paul

[Sue Thomas]

Hum........Father was a plasterer. I think he didn't want anyone sitting around doing nothing. Too young to go to school got to go out to work then!!!!!!!!!