In many record sets an ancestor’s name should appear only once, but there are exceptions.
People get “double counted” in census records regularly–sometimes because they moved and other times because they had two residences. Sometimes it’s because a couple is really living apart and one spouse does not want to admit it to the census taker.
In some cases amended birth or death certificates may be filed. This is sometimes done with birth certificates in the case of an adoption and with death certificates if the cause of death needs to be changed.
People can easily be listed on property tax rolls in more than one location if they own property in more than one location.
And individuals (or even couples) can appear as a bride or groom on more than one marriage record.
Just because there shouldn’t be two records doesn’t mean there won’t be.
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One response
Re: birth records.
In 1936, if I remember correctly, the federal government required all persons to have birth records. Anyone that didn’t have one had to get a “delayed birth certificate”. The person had to get witnesses to verify their birth.
Several in my family gave themselves names other than their birth names! One in particular made a huge difference. He was given the middle name of Gentry in honor of his grandmother’s maiden name. He dropped that name and replaced it with the given name of General.
Thankfully, my grandfather (his brother) had listed the full names of all his siblings. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have known my gg-grandmother’s maiden name.