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                  Why is my ancestor missing from the census?

                  If you find the correct family but one individual is not recorded, then the individual probably was not present in the household on the exact date of the census. It is hard to draw any firm conclusions without further research, and it is likely that you will not be able to find out exactly why someone is not there. Could they have been away travelling, for work or caring for sick or elderly relatives or visiting distant friends or other reasons? If the husband is absent, then can you find them at another address for that night and does their name continue to appear on the valuation rolls for the family address? If the wife is absent, look for them with known relatives. If they are a child or young person, could they be lodging with neighbouring family or could they be apprenticed to someone else? Try looking through the indexes to see if the name appears in another household. Check whether the age, place of birth and occupation match any other records you have of the individual and be careful not to assume you have found the right person without corroboration.