General Chat

Top tip - using the Genes Reunited community

Welcome to the Genes Reunited community boards!

  • The Genes Reunited community is made up of millions of people with similar interests. Discover your family history and make life long friends along the way.
  • You will find a close knit but welcoming group of keen genealogists all prepared to offer advice and help to new members.
  • And it's not all serious business. The boards are often a place to relax and be entertained by all kinds of subjects.
  • The Genes community will go out of their way to help you, so don’t be shy about asking for help.

Boards

Quick Search

Single word search

Tools

Findmypast DNA Banner

Icons

  • New posts
  • No new posts
  • Thread closed
  • Stickied, new posts
  • Stickied, no new posts

Informant

Login to Add Reply Watch This
ProfilePosted byOptionsPost Date

Joyce

Joyce Report 29 Oct 2009 01:54

Hi Could anyone tell me what it means when some one is named an informant on a census form in the 1800s I have got an ancestor with that. It dos'nt sound very nice!
Regards Joy

Elizabeth A

Elizabeth A Report 29 Oct 2009 11:55

Cant really help there the only thng that springs ton mind is being a police informer -

Liz

Pauline $(*-*)$

Pauline $(*-*)$ Report 29 Oct 2009 11:59



It may mean that the person named as informant is the person who supplied all the information about the other people living in the property.

Eileen

Eileen Report 29 Oct 2009 12:15


You will get the same word on birth and death certs. It simply means the person who gave the information. For example on a birth cert. if the father gave the information, then it means that he is acknowledging that he is the father of that child. If the mother is listed as the 'informant', then the child could well be illegitimate, with a 'father' either unknown, or not accepting responsibility..........no dna in those days. A child is deemed to be the child of a marriage unless registered otherwise.

With a death, the informant could be the first person to find the deceased, so not necessarily a relative......or it could be the Dr. who certifies the death, or it could be the spouse or someone acting for them. It is useful information on old death certs. as sometimes it can point the way to another relative or branch of a family.

The word used in this context is not sinister in any way.

Eileen
birth name

Elizabeth A

Elizabeth A Report 29 Oct 2009 14:26

doh
why didnt i think of that
LOL

Deanna

Deanna Report 29 Oct 2009 14:59

Elizabeth , you did not think of that because we all get a bit worried when faced with something new to us.

You are not daft.... you are human.... I know daft....... I am often daft!! ;-0)

Deanna X

Elizabeth A

Elizabeth A Report 30 Oct 2009 01:10

Deanna
Am often daft - have to be - being mattoed to my hubby - LOL
Funny enough - I had been looking at some certs just before reading this post
Thats why i should have thought of it before

Liz

Joyce

Joyce Report 30 Oct 2009 01:35

Thanks everone
regards
Joy