Age on death certificates

[John5280]

Hello all, This is my first post after finding the link to the site on Scotlands people.
I have a query that I am directing towards those who have had a bit of experience with Scottish Statutory death certificates. The certificate in question is for a Helen Couper who died on the 2/12/1882 with an age shown as 59 years, widow of George Couper- Handloom Weaver. George died some time between the 1841 and 1851 census.
Helen died at 294 West Scotland Street Govan, the informant was her son Archibald who was present. I have followed the family through the Census and Helen is shown as being being born c1808/09, is a difference of 14 years in the age at death unusual.
Regards
John

[StewL]

Hello John

It was not unusual for people to tell wee porkies about their ages. It could be to appear younger to a prospective spouse, or just that people were not as concerned about their ages back then as we are now. Sometimes they themselves were not to sure about when they were born.

[Orlaith17]

I have found a few death records showing the age of my relatives at death does not tie up at all with their birth record. But none have been as much as 14 years out. The ancestors I am researching mostly came to Scotland from Ireland, so their births were not registered in Scotland which explains it a bit. When the death was registered, the registrar took the word of the informant about the deceased person's age. Statutory registration in Scotland diddn't begin until 1855, so a birth before then may not have been registered at all unless in a Parish register. That explains wwhy descendents may not have known their relation's real age.

[Russell]

Hi John
I would have been hard pressed to give my mother's age 'off the cuff' which is why they expect us to bting in other documents when you register a death. Back then few folks had any documentation to refer to.Most women beyond child bearing age dressed in much the same way regardless of their actual age and certainly looked a lot older than current pensioners do
Another thing to look for on death certificates is the names (s) given to grandparents. The informant often got the names wrong, particularly maiden names, if it was their grandmother. My grandmother died when I was in my teens and I could not have told you her maiden name
Death entries are the least accurate of the three certificates.

Russell

[John5280]

Thanks for all your input, it sounds like I can take it I do have the right death certificate. I had the certificate in index search results but due to the age difference disregarded it and purchased a few wrong certificates. You could say a process of elimination eventually had me purchasing the right certificate.
John

[paddyscar]

Welcome John5280!

Another reason there may have been a conflict in information is simply that people of that era did not have the math skills common to most folk by the 20th century. There were few milestones that required constant marking of one's passing years - school entry, school leaving, minimum age relevant to marriage, employment, visiting the pub or pension, etc.

And in many cases, you'd just be flatly told it was none of your business

Frances