Census Records - Methodology

[Steve K]

I posted this on FB, but would like insight from here.

This question goes beyond just Reunion, but I am asking with specific reference to Reunion. I have been entering people and data into Reunion (11.0.4 oops need to update to 5). I am now getting to the first person who is represented in the census. I have many in my FTM3 database of course, but starting anew.
What is your method of entering Census data? a Census event? many separate items (events, facts) (residence, name, rel. to head, sex, color, age, marital status etc)? Smart lists? Can you tell I am confused? (Note: I have read the manual sections, but still confused.)
Thanks for any and all help.

[Michael Talibard]

Re: Census Records - Methodology

My method is a bit labour-intensive, but it may appeal to someone with the grit to “start anew.”

Because I like to see it in the Family View, I transcribe all the census information. For example:
1871: in the Village, Stebbing: William Linsell, 30, grocer, draper & provisions merchant employing 1 man & 1 boy, born Stebbing; with wife Catherine, 31, born Coventry; and children William Goode, 2, and Kate Elizabeth, 6 months, both born Stebbing; + servant Sarah Lewis. [Little red source number not showing, but it's there.]

Then I copy and paste that for each individual, but just shifting a few phrases around - so for William’s wife this becomes (with very little extra typing):
1871: in the Village, Stebbing: Catherine, 31, born Coventry; with husband William Linsell 30, grocer & provisions merchant employing 1 man & 1 boy, born Stebbing; and children William Goode 2 and Kate Elizabeth 6 months, all born Stebbing; + servant Sarah Lewis.

Next question: where to put this? Up to you, but long ago I made an extra Notes field called ‘Dates’, into which I also enter anything else to which I can assign a precise date (apart from Birth, Baptism, Marriage, Death & Burial). You could call it anything you like, but I think it needs to be a Note field.

Last question: use a Census Event? If you’ve done all that, then no - it would be duplication. If you haven’t done anything of the kind, then yes. Now you certainly don’t need Residence, etc.