What do family historians mean when they say they have hit a ‘brick wall?’

Hitting a ‘brick wall’ is an occupational hazard amongst genealogists. It a near inevitable, but nevertheless frustrating, moment when we are going back in time and then hit a dead end. Sometimes we have to unthread our research in order to establish where we took a wrong turn. Here are some of the common pitfalls that can lead to the dreaded ‘brick wall’.

Misspells.

Before the 19th Century, spelling was very fluid and surnames could be spelt in a variety of different ways.

Surnames.

Do not leap to mistaken assumptions. If you are tracing a particularly unusual surname, it is tempting to jump on the only available lead that presents itself with that particular surname. After days or weeks of fruitless research you belatedly discover that a quarter of the inhabitants of your ancestor’s village held the same ‘unusual’ surname. An uncommon surname can be surprisingly common in certain areas.

First names.

Common first names can also throw up problems. Be aware of unusual gaps in the ages of a number of children. It could be that your great grandfather married a ‘Kathleen’. She had two children and died. A few years’ later, your great grandfather married another ‘Kathleen’ and proceed to have four more children. If you are not careful, you could easily start tracing the family history of the wrong ‘Kathleen’.

Remember people routinely used their middle name.

This was surprisingly common.

Places.

Locations, districts and jurisdiction have often changed or evolved over time so that records are stored in unexpected locations. Remember that parishes and boundaries were always shifting.

Wrong dates.

Particularly ages – either unintentionally or intentionally. Wrong ages were commonly declared on marriage certificates and proof of age was not a requirement.

The commonwealth gap – 1640s – 1660.

This refers to the brick wall family historians commonly encounter during the English Civil War and the Commonwealth years. The turmoil of the Civil War, Oliver Cromwell’s attempt to prohibit the Church of England from registering baptisms, marriages and deaths, and his attempt to establish a system of civil registration (subsequently overturned by Charles II) have all thrown records into confusion. The English Civil War highlights just how much damage national conflict does to the good preservation of records. A good attempt at sourcing materials during this period can be found at wikitree.com.