The difficulty with pre-1850 census enumerations is that only the head of household are listed. It can be difficult to know who is represented by those tally marks. The most likely candidates for those other people are:
- spouse,
- children,
- step-children,
- parents,
- mother or father-in-law,
- sons or daughters-in-law,
- other relative by blood or marriage,
- hired man/woman,
- foster/adopted child.
Depending upon the ages, the first five are the most likely candidates and where your searches should initially focus. It may not always be possible to determine who is represented by each tally mark. When trying to determine and explain who is represented by those tally marks, track your research notes and process so later you are not having to re-do your work.
If you are unfamiliar with varying family structures, look at a few pages of the 1880 census in the same neighborhood. While the time period will be different, looking at varying family structures where they are spelled out will provide you with some perspective.
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