Calculating Dates and Date Ranges
Precision—genealogists know all about the importance of precision when it comes to citing sources, recording details, and interpreting records. But many genealogists are less particular when it comes to calculating and expressing estimated dates. Avoiding fuzzy computations could mean the difference between solving a research problem and facing a roadblock.
Many records report age, usually expressed in years. A quick subtraction of the age from the year of the report yields a very rough estimate of when the person was born. This may be sufficient in some preliminary research, but as work progresses, detailed analysis becomes more and more important. Working with rough estimates may not be wise. Researchers must be more cautious in calculating, recording, and expressing dates.
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About Author
Laura Murphy DeGrazia, CG
Laura Murphy DeGrazia, editor of NGS Monthly, is a professional genealogist specializing in the New York City area and Irish Americans. She is a former trustee and past president of the Board for Certification of Genealogists. From 2010 through 2014 she edited the New York Genealogical and Biographical Record. Her book on researching in New York City, Long Island, and Westchester County, New York, was published as part of the NGS Research in the States series in 2013. Laura is a member of the NGS Magazine Editorial Advisory Committee and the NGS Publications Committee.