opinion/question

[Congemi]

I need an opinion....I have an ancestor whose age is inconsistent on each of his children's birth certificates as wellas his death certificate. Have others found this to be the case during their research? Since I have not found an entry for his birth which age would you use as a birth year. Would you use the birth of the first known child which is closer to the time of his birth or would you use his death age?
Thanks in advance,
Tana

[adelfio]

I would use the birth record more than more than death record I find age on death record older ages tend to be off.

Marty

[Congemi]

Marty,
Thank you for responding. I guess what I shall do is take an average of his age stated on all of his childrens birth records.
Till the next time.
Regards,
Tana

[Italysearcher]

Even today Italians are one year older than we would consider their age. My husband and I were born within 10 days of each other in the same year. He is always one year older than me when stating his age.
When discussing the ages of others he tends to round up to the next decade. For instance my mother is 87 (88 in Oct 2012). For him she is already 88, but when speaking of her to others he says she is 90.
What I want to say is that you should keep searching backwards. Your ancestor may be up to 5 years oder than you expect. Also, there may have been miscarriages before the first child, or even another wife and children several years earlier.

[liviomoreno]

Even today Italians are one year older than we would consider their age. My husband and I were born within 10 days of each other in the same year. He is always one year older than me when stating his age.
When discussing the ages of others he tends to round up to the next decade. For instance my mother is 87 (88 in Oct 2012). For him she is already 88, but when speaking of her to others he says she is 90.
What I want to say is that you should keep searching backwards. Your ancestor may be up to 5 years oder than you expect. Also, there may have been miscarriages before the first child, or even another wife and children several years earlier.

some Italians