How are folks recording census data

[LynnePariseau]

I am getting more info from the Irish Census and early BC census than anywhere else -- where do you all keep that info -- e.g., the UK data lists all the people living in the household at a particular time -- where would you put that info? in notes? thanks for your help.

[mjashby]

Re: How are folks recording census data

I am getting more info from the Irish Census and early BC census than anywhere else -- where do you all keep that info -- e.g., the UK data lists all the people living in the household at a particular time -- where would you put that info? in notes? thanks for your help.

Personally, it's been my practice for many years (in various Genealogy Software programs) to record Household Census Records as individual Sources. I then attach the census image to that Source Record and record census entries in each Individual Record mentioned in the census return citing the Source. This doesn't, of course, work if you are a researcher who chooses to link Census entries to a single Source such as "Census US 1870", but then you have the issue of what you attach the Census Image/Household Transcription to.

Mervyn

[Frank Zwolinski]

Re: How are folks recording census data

Personally, it's been my practice for many years (in various Genealogy Software programs) to record Household Census Records as individual Sources. I then attach the census image to that Source Record and record census entries in each Individual Record mentioned in the census return citing the Source. This doesn't, of course, work if you are a researcher who chooses to link Census entries to a single Source such as "Census US 1870", but then you have the issue of what you attach the Census Image/Household Transcription to.

Mervyn

That is exactly what I do too. It is easy to make a specific note for each type of information. And I like having a copy of the specific Census page linked to each of these pieces of information. That way another researcher can easily go to a copy of the original source. Lynn, if that is not clear, you may contact me directly off line at <fzwolinski@santarosa.edu>
Enjoy,
Frank

[Michael Talibard]

Re: How are folks recording census data

I do very much the same as Mervyn and Frank as regards census sources. I also transcribe the information for each family member. So for example, the head of household might be:
1901: at Ratcliff Highway Board School, Stepney: Robert Henry Clothier, 36, schoolkeeper working at home, born Woolwich, Kent; with wife Elizabeth J., 32, born Greenwich; and sons Robert H., 9, born Greenwich and William H., 7, born Charlton. 2043
Once one has taken the trouble to type that, it doesn't add a whole lot to adapt it for each of them, so:
1901: at Ratcliff Highway Board School, Stepney: Elizabeth J., 32, born Greenwich; with husband Robert Henry Clothier, 36, schoolkeeper working at home, born Woolwich, Kent and sons Robert H., 9, born Greenwich and William H., 7, born Charlton. 2043
… and so on. (The number 2043, of course, is the source and should show in red superscript, but I don't know how to do that in this post.)

For me the assorted numbers are not a problem, but we all sometimes desire a certain neatness, and if you do want to renumber your sources, there is a workaround. Say you want a new source that you will enter to be no.150. Duplicate the existing 150 (the new copy of that will get a new number) and delete the original. Now 150 is empty and Reunion will use it for the next source you make. This may be worthwhile for you in particular cases, but to do it all through looks like a real headache!

[A Hougie]

Re: How are folks recording census data

For me the assorted numbers are not a problem, but we all sometimes desire a certain neatness, and if you do want to renumber your sources, there is a workaround. Say you want a new source that you will enter to be no.150. Duplicate the existing 150 (the new copy of that will get a new number) and delete the original. Now 150 is empty and Reunion will use it for the next source you make. This may be worthwhile for you in particular cases, but to do it all through looks like a real headache!

Before deleting (old) source no 150 you should of course identify all the places that it is used and add a citation in all those places to the duplicated source, otherwise once you delete source no 150 you will lose all those citations and have no way (other than by consulting the backup you made just before deleting source no 150 - you did make a backup didn't you?) of seeing where it was used.

[Michael Talibard]

Re: How are folks recording census data

Before deleting (old) source no 150 you should of course identify all the places that it is used and add a citation in all those places to the duplicated source, otherwise once you delete source no 150 you will lose all those citations and have no way (other than by consulting the backup you made just before deleting source no 150 - you did make a backup didn't you?) of seeing where it was used.

Oops - quite right!