Extraparochial

I've just found Arthur 17, and William 13, two sons of Henry Underwood
of East Dean in the 1861 census.

Under the 'Where Born' column, 'Extraparochial' has been written for
the two boys.

Surely the parents would have known precisely where their children
were born?

Eve McLaughlin...

An extra parochial place is one not included within the civil or
ecclesiastical jurisdiction of any parish. Presumably this one is close
to the boundaries of East Dean.

Hugh Watkins...

the page of the enumerators book you see was not written by the parents

but is a fair copy of the returns or the notes made by the enumerator

do not assume the census returns were completed by the house holder
not all could read and write

so aneigbours child could ahve answered the questions

read the instructios to the enumerator
eg
Scotland ( I can't find england 1861 )

You could check who the enumerator was and what his profession was - to
get an idea of his usage of Extraparochial

Hugh W

Charles Ellson...

They probably did. It was (there being more than one interpretation
available) either:-

-somewhere belonging to the parish but outwith its natural boundary.
or
-outwith the parish covered by the enumeration book

I would suspect the former applies with the birth having occurred in
an odd bit of land which lies "geographically" in an adjacent parish
(possibly identifiable from the birth index otherwise the actual
registration details need to be seen) but which belongs to the
enumerated parish.

Robin Haigh...

Perhaps they were asked to say what parish the boys were born in. So they
gave a wonderfully accurate and totally useless answer

David J...

Thanks for all the ideas posted.

I found later on freebmd that the births of both sons were registered
at nearby Westbury on Severn.

In the 1871 census, a now-married William states he was born in
Flaxley, which is also nearby and has an Abbey. So maybe Henry was
employed there, and this was the extra-parochial location.