Thread: 1871 age 3, 1881 age 4 months, confused

I have a Catherine Ryan aged 3 in 1871, then in 1881 with the same family I have Catherine Ryan aged 4 months, I have looked for deaths but can only find a Mary Catherine Ryan, (she had a sister called Mary) in 1870.

Mother Bridget and father John, can anyone help?

in manchester, st george and st michael wards.



jennyc

Hi



There was a tendency to name a later child the same as a deceased one..... there was also a tendency to use middle names on a census return



I knkow this doesn't really solve your problem....maybe birth & death certificates will be able to solve it?





Loz

Hi Jenny



In 1881, I think Catherine is 4 and a half and Elizabeth is 17 months old



Still doesn't help much!!



Births Dec 1876 Ryan Kate Manchester 8d 282



Births Jun 1877 RYAN Catherine Lavinia Manchester 8d 241





The death is AWOL!!



I thought we sorted the Ryans before!!

Hello there!



I may be telling you 'stuff' you already know, in which case, my apologies.



Many Victorian families had children who died very young and then named subsequent children with the names of the deceased babies.



At first, I did not know this and was very puzzled to have George John & George Curtis and Ada Florence & Ada Alexandra ALL born to the same parents. Confusing to say the least.



I suggest that you check www.freebmd.org.uk/ (Births, Marriages & Deaths) & www.freereg.org.uk/ (Baptisms, Marriages & Burials) frequently - they both update their records about once a month.



Also, the LDS site on www.familysearch.org/eng/default.asp can occasionally produce an unexpected piece of information for 1881. Did you find your people in 1891 or 1901? Hopefully, there will be some clarification there.



Good luck.



Pam