Sometimes, the census information is correct and you would not know it.  In my 
case, I looked at the 1940 census when it first came out.  Not because I 
"needed" any information from the census.  At least I did not know there would 
be any information that interested me on this census.
 
What I found was that I was listed as living with my grandparents, my mother, 
her 2 sisters and a great aunt.  The surname was listed as Sobral on the first 
line before my grandfather's first name.  So far, so good.  All those living in 
the house were listed below and I was listed last.  Squeezed between my name 
and the name above me was the name De Azevedo.  The informant was my mother who 
was 20 years old at the time and who was not married when I was born.  
 
Of course, everyone listed was dead by this time (except me) and I could not 
ask anyone why I had never used the name De Azevedo in my entire life.  Not in 
school, not ever.  Before my mother married and I was adopted my surname was 
Sobral.  
 
There is a lot more to this confusing story and I was lucky to have had a 
grandmother who told me everything I might want to know when I grew up.  
However, I am positive that no one in the house knew my mother had said my 
surname was different from the family name.
 
As others have stated, census information is what the informant says and that 
may be confused by what the census taker thinks is said and what is heard.  In 
most cases, census information can be helpful in locating someone's residence 
and can lead to where to look for other clues and useful information.
Celeste, Hayward, CA 
Celeste Perry [email protected]

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