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I have an age for my ancestor - but I can't find the birth in the right year - what shall I do?

Don't take people's ages for granted

People have always lied about their age - whether it's a minor pretending they're old enough to marry, or an old widow not wanting to reveal their age. Or it is quite possible that some people did not know their own age. In the case of a death, the details of the person's age was often given by a young family member or friend who may have just guessed their age. If you have an age for someone, don't assume that you know the birth year - try at least five years each side.

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