Household with no head?

Do many properties have no "head", or could this be a census
transcription error at some point in the process?

Mike Longworth...

I do just wonder in cases like this whether it was a transcription error
by the Enumerator when they transferred their information onto the
official government returns.

1871, Tavistock
RG10/2146 folio 119 page 20.

Schedule 87 is the start of 50 West Bridge Cottages, but the first
entry is "dau" for daughter.

The previous page has schedule 86 as expected, but that is at #49
on the street.

Could a couple of people (i.e. the parents) have been dropped from
the start of schedule 87 somewhere?

Lesley Robertson...

If the Head of Household was away from home on census night, he/she would
not be shown at their address. I've sdeen a couple of entries when the only
folk in residence were the servants!
Lesley Robertson

Hugh Watkins...

View Record Eliza Friend abt 1854 Tavistock, Devon, England Daughter
Tavistock Devon
View Record Elizabeth Friend abt 1852 Tavistock, Devon, England
Daughter Tavistock Devon
View Record Jane Friend abt 1844 Whitchurch, Devon, England Daughter
Tavistock Devon
View Record Mary Friend abt 1846 Whitchurch, Devon, England Daughter
Tavistock Devon
it looks like they are employees

hesd + sister would be the norm

1861

Name: Jane Friend
Age: 17
Estimated birth year: abt 1844
Relation: Daughter
Household: View other family members
Gender: Female
Where born: Whitchurch, Devon, England

Civil parish: Tavistock
County/Island: Devon
Country: England

Street address: View Image
Condition as to marriage: View Image
Education: View Image
Employment status: View Image
Occupation: View Image

Source information: RG9/1459
Registration district: Tavistock
Sub-registration district: Tavistock
ED, institution, or vessel: 7
Folio: 98
Page: 13 (click to see others on page)
Household schedule number: 53
GSU Number: 542816

View Record Eliza Friend abt 1854 Tavistock, Devon, England Daughter
Tavistock Devon
View Record Elizabeth Friend abt 1814 Tavistock, Devon, England Wife
Tavistock Devon
View Record Elizabeth Friend abt 1852 Tavistock, Devon, England
Daughter Tavistock Devon
View Record Frances Friend abt 1842 Tavistock, Devon, England Daughter
Tavistock Devon
View Record James Friend abt 1813 Buckland Monachoru, Devon, England
Head Tavistock Devon
View Record James Friend abt 1839 Tavistock, Devon, England Son
Tavistock Devon
View Record Jane Friend abt 1844 Whitchurch, Devon, England Daughter
Tavistock Devon
View Record Mary Friend abt 1846 Whitchurch, Devon, England Daughter
Tavistock Devon
View Record William Friend abt 1844 Whitchurch, Devon, England Son
Tavistock Devon

Results per page 10 20 50 Viewing 1-9 of 9

1871

Name: James Friend
Age: 59
Estimated birth year: abt 1812
Relation: Head
Household: View other family members
Gender: Male
Where born: Buckland Monachorum, Devon, England

Civil Parish or Township: Bridestowe
County/Island: Devon
Country: England

Street address: View Image
Condition as to marriage: View Image
Education: View Image
Employment status: View Image
Occupation: View Image

Source information: RG10/2153
Registration district: Okehampton
Sub-registration district: Okehampton
ED, institution, or vessel: 7
Folio: 95
Page: 15 (click to see others on page)
Household schedule number: 79
GSU Number: 832039
Exact Search Results - 1871 England Census
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View Record Name Estimated Birth Year Birthplace Relationship Civil
Parish or Township County/Island View Image

View Record Elizabeth Friend abt 1813 Tavistock, Devon, England Wife
Bridestowe Devon
View Record James Friend abt 1812 Buckland Monachorum, Devon, England
Head Bridestowe Devon

labourer on the roads
in a ?? back house at the Fox and Hounds
You are here: Search > Census > UK Census Collection > 1871 England
Census > Devon > Bridestowe > District 7

so the head was at work

Hugh W

Graham P Davis...

I found a similar thing a week ago. The only adult was listed as "wife" and
"married". The listing was in the middle of the page so nothing had fallen
into the cracks. I guessed that the husband was away from home temporarily
and his wife didn't regard herself as the head of the household.

Peter Goodey...

That's what I've found (husband was a merchant seaman who managed to miss
all the censuses).

1861 enumeration books contained a table of "Persons Temporarily Absent"
(Table 1) which is useful to refer to in this sort of situation. I can't
recall if the same table was included in 1871.