Tables

The material linked from this page provides some detailed statistics on errors on the commercial census sites, intended to supplement Chapter 14 of Census. The Expert Guide.

Note: These statistics were compiled in July and August 2008 and record the state of the data at that time. You can expect that each of the data providers will by now have corrected some, or even many, of the individual errors listed. The tables should therefore not be regarded as an indicator of current data quality.

Typical transcription errors

1. Ditto as surname
2. Willaims instead of Williams
3. Smth instead of Smith
4. Borwn instead of Brown
5. Jhonson instead of Johnson
6. Geroge instead of George

Error analysis for two complete Enumeration Books

1. The 1861 census for Pevensey, Sussex (385 individuals), from a relatively clearly written enumeration book.
   • Surname errors
   • Forename errors
   • Birthplace errors
2. The 1891 census for part of Islington, London (496 individuals), the original less clearly written and with some idiosyncrasies to trap the unwary transcriber.
   • Surname errors
   • Forename errors
   • Birthplace errors