A 4x great uncle of mine appeared in one census as being born in Italy in 1808. In the other censuses it said Sicily or was specific and said Messina. Fortunately, when his father left the army and returned to Scotland he had the boy's baptism recorded at Macduff and it said he had been a private in the 10th Foot. Oddly, a sister appears in the censuses as being born in France, but that baptism was not recorded on return.
Graham.