What does NB mean before place of birth on a census

[Almaha]

I've been searching for my husband's side of the family.  His grandfather was Michael Brennan, a coalminer who originally was born in Felling, County Durham .  He married a Sarah Ann McKenna in Brooms County Durham and then they lived in the Gateshead area. Michael finally died in Chester le Street, County Durham.

However, prior to his marriage he and his parents and siblings were in Scotland.  I have been searching for the Brennan family in Lanarkshire (and think I have found them called Branon in Holytown, Bothwell).   

There were several children in this Irish coalmining family - some born in England, some Ireland and some in Lanarkshire.  However, before the ones born in Scotland it states as place of birth "NB Lanarkshire". 

I don't think this can mean "Note well" so does anyone know what this would stand for. 

The actual 1891 census was shown as:

Registration Number: 625/2 
Registration district: Holytown 
Civil Parish: Bothwell 
County: Lanarkshire 
Address: Rows Carfin 6 
Occupation: Miner 
ED: 7 
Household schedule number: 183 
Line: 7 
Roll: CSSCT1891_226 

In 1881 they were in Dykehead Double Row, Hamilton and the family members then were:

Peter Brannen  6??  (probably 68 if Mary was supposedly 46, though in 1871 she was only 33)! born Queens County, Ireland
Mary Brannen  46 born Ireland
Peter Brannen  23 born Ireland
Catherine Brannen  21  born Ireland                       
Anastasia Brannen  19 born Ireland
Mary Brannen  18  born Ireland
Owen Brannen  16 born Ireland
Michael Brannen  10 born Felling, County Durham
James Brannen  8 born England
Margaret Brannen  6 born
Patrick Brannen  3
Andrew Brannen  2

LIZZIE WHO WAS 22 IN THE 1891 CENSUS  (born North Shields, Northumberland) WAS MISSING IN THE 1881 ONE.

If anyone on this forum has any information about this family or the meaning of NB I would love to hear from them.

[Almaha]

Oops, the latter 3 children, Margaret, Patrick and Andrew Branan were born in "NB Lanarkshire".

In the 1881 census the whole family were listed with the surname Brannen.

[PaulineJ]

I'd hazard a guess that it is "NK" (Not Known) Lanarkshire

Pauline

[Almaha]

I've just discovered on Ancestry Scottish transcription of that census that Margaret was born in Shotts, Patrick was born in Hamilton and young Andrew (who is shown as a grandson rather than a son) was also born in Hamilton.

Thanks anyway  - I guess I needn't worry about the NB now. Just don't know where that came from.

Anyone who thinks they may be connected to this family - I would love to hear from you.

[andycand]

Hi

Do you have the image for the 1891 census or just the Ancestry transcription? If the image is clearly NB then it could stand for NORTH BRITAIN although that is a term that was used predominately in the 17th & 18th century. Googling will find information on NORTH BRITAIN.

I suspect that in this case though it is likely to be NK meaning NOT KNOWN as PaulineJ suggests.

Andy

[les_looking]

NB means Nota Bene in Latin, which has always meant take note of,
ie if a teacher was marking say an essay and found spelling mistakes, then they would put N.B.
and maybe a note at the bottom to highlight to watch in future
so probably they meant to take note of the place of birth and the place they were living

[ainslie]

It MUST be North Britain, frequently used for Scotland, as stated earlier.

[Little Nell]

I'm with ainlsie - it is definitely North Britain, no question.

Nell

[robbo43]

I would have thought that 1891 was very late for anyone to be using North Britain as a name for Scotland, 1750 to 1850 might be the period it was in general use.  A very old fashioned enumerator?

Robert