Census Duplication

Looking at the 1891 census page at

RG12/1322 Folio 36 Page 69

has two entries for William James Evans (Ancestry incorrectly indexes
the second one as Evan)

Is it a safe assumption that they're the same person? They're the same
age, with the same occupation, born in the same place, and apparently
with the same parents. I assume the duplication is to reflect the fact
that he's both the son of the head of the family, and himself a head
since he's living with his new wife at his parents' address.

Charani...

There are no safe assumptions in family history :))

If they are the same person, it could be that his parents put him down
as part of their household automatically but he completed a form
himself to reflect his new status (or told the enumerator).

Anne Chambers...

Interesting - the William James with his parents is shown correctly as
married but the wife is not recorded - perhaps the parent who filled in
the census form didn't like the daughter-in-law and left her out
deliberately, so he filled in another form.

Jeff...

I'd guess they are the same person but the name isn't THAT uncommon. I
think I'd check the 1881 and 1901 as well.

Chris Watts...

They may, or may not, be the same person!

Reasons for duplication are multitudinous. Many to save a family row - e.g.
with the mistress on census night and found both there and with his wife!
Policemen on night duty - listed at the police station and at home. etc etc

bigbrian...

Yes, but both of these entries are at the same address, on the same
page, 5 lines apart

Brian