* Individual Missing from Census

[brianlummis]

I would like to know how other people deal with individuals who are missing from a census or cannot be entered as the census return is missing. As I am only using Find My Past (I am a subscriber) there is a chance that the name has been incorrectly indexed, although I have looked at all the alternatives such as first names with date of birth, date of birth and place of birth etc. without success. I have also got at least one case where the parish is missing from the census returns.

By not entering anything I find myself looking at the same problem (although a second look can sometimes be fruitful) so I am considering entering the census fact with a pertinent note and then add the source(s) as those I have already searched. This would then mean that the name would not appear when using the Lookup Missing Census Facts Plugin.

What could be useful is to find some way of listing these missing facts so I could then have a look at Ancestry using the local library, but at the moment I can only think of placing the individual on a Named List unless there is a way of generating a suitable report.

I would welcome thoughts on how you deal with this problem.

Brian

[johnmorrisoniom]

I add a flag called "Not In <Year>" to any individual that I can't find. My diagrams are set to display an icon for that census with a cross through it. That way I can tell at a glance that I have tried to find it. It also makesit easy to find those with the flag to try again at a later date.
John

[tatewise]

I would suggest giving the Source record(s) a particular Type instead of Census, perhaps Non-Census.

Then it is easy to produce Queries or set Diagram Icons based on an Expression that tests that Source Type.

[brianlummis]

John - Many thanks for that suggestion. Being a relative newcomer, I have not as yet got round to using flags but it is on my to do list. I quite like the idea of a visual reminder.

Mike - Am I correct in assuming that your suggestion will eliminate the person from the Missing Census Facts Plugin results?

[tatewise]

Brian - Simply adding the Census Event will satisfy the Plugin, regardless of whether there is a Source Citation.

My Source Type suggestion was in answer to your question about listing those missing facts. By using a unique Source Type makes it easy to identify those Census Events that cite those non-Census Source records.

You also need to consider how those Census Events appear in Reports, because by default they will give the impression that the Individual did appear in the Census returns. So the Census Event defined Templates will need adjusting, conditional on the Source Type, to say the Individual was either missing from or appeared in the Census.

IMO: The above technique is superior to using Flags, because you have to remember to set and clear the Flags manually. Whereas, as soon as you replace the Source record with one that has the standard Census type, then everything else adjusts automatically.

[brianlummis]

Many thanks, Mike for expanding on your suggestion. I can see the merits in having something that adjusts automatically as the memory is getting overloaded with age!

Brian

[tatewise]

OK, if you need any help with composing the Expressions needed in Queries and Diagrams and Templates then just ask, but try and be clear about your objectives.

In the meantime, if not too technical, the following Knowledge Base articles may be useful.
how_to:understanding_expressions|> Understanding Expressions
how_to:using_flags_and_icons_and_expressions|> Using Flags and Icons and Expressions