Two people with the same names at the same place - birth registers?

Is there anything that differentiates them, such as parents' or siblings' names?

The record doesn't survive or the entry is missing?

It might be found somewhere else - the National Register of Archives at www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/nra/ may be able to help

There may be other records with similar information - ask the staff.

He just appears. How can I find where he came from?

You probably can't, especially if he turns up in London, but he may have walked from a neighbouring village or along the main road going through the town.

You may be able to pick him up on the IGI or 1881 census surname index by searching county by county - but remember there may be several people with exactly the same name.

She came from overseas, but I don't know where?

Between 1851 and 1901 the country of birth (and occasionally place) is given in the census.

The place of origin is given in denization and naturalization records. For more information see the Grants of British Nationality. However, people who came from the British Empire were already British citizens. Also many people did not seek naturalization because of the expense.

Between 1536 and 1840, the London Metropolitan Archives has a database of foreigners, particularly Black and Asian, who appear in parish registers. For details see www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/corporation

He came from Ireland - how can I trace back in Ireland?

With great difficulty. Irish men and women have never needed a passport to cross the Irish Sea. A family story or census entry might give a clue as to county of origin.

She's got to be in this document somewhere ...?

Is there a name index?

Victorian clerks often only entered a name by initial letter only, so you may have to search all the names under the heading.

Don't stop at the first likely entry, she may turn up a page or two further on.

Remember variations in spelling of surnames, which often resulted from the clerk noting it down wrongly.

If all else fails ask the staff.

His name is wrong?

Surnames change overtime - either deliberately or accidentally. In order to fit in surnames (and forenames) were anglicised - usually by directly translating the name into English (Kovacs or Schmidt to Smith) or by adopting a simplified English sounding equivalent (Groen to Green, Miakovski to May or Maycock). Sometimes the choice of new surnames seems odd, perhaps because somebody liked the sound of a surname.

Her age is wrong?

Ages especially on census and death certificates are often a year or two out, as the individual may not have known his exact date of birth.

I can't understand the document

Whether it is hard to read or doesn't make sense - ask the staff for assistance.

It can't be so...?

You may have the wrong person - or you may have been making assumptions that are wrong; for example, livelihood, size of family, marriage partner.

Well, I've tried everything, what can you suggest?

Give up - the further back you go, the harder it becomes and with fewer sources. If you've tried all reasonable sources then you've done your best.

Comforting Words