If you're wondering how the Ancestor Homes collection can complement Census returns, take a look at the ideas below:

• Deeds predate the Census

Currently our online collection dates back to the 1650s, but we know our Deeds date back to at least 1557! This means we can help provide information on ancestors and homes before the first Census in 1841. 

• Filling in those ten year gaps

Although Census returns are a fantastic resource, the ten year gap means ancestors and homes can get sometimes get lost. People often moved or even changed occupations within a ten year period, and Deeds can help you discover this. Deeds can also give you an insight into the wealth of an individual, giving an indication as to why they moved home or changed occupation. 

• Life in the early twentieth century

Researching ancestors in the twentieth century can be tricky due to the limitation of accessible data. Our collection currently goes up to 1935, helping you fill the gap between the 1911 Census and the 1939 Register. 

• Add some detail

You may start by finding your ancestors in a census, but then you can add more detail by using Deeds. Yes there’s a lot of legal jargon, but Deeds can offer information about occupations, businesses, wealth, neighbours, relationships, house types and house styles. Deeds are personal documents and so they often include original signatures and seals. 

• Filling in the blanks

Some Census records are either missing or damaged. The Manchester Census returns of 1841 and 1851 are badly damaged and in some places illegible. A large portion of our collection covers the Manchester area, therefore our deeds can help fill in the blanks of Census returns.