bit confused with this census

Question

I have this 1871 census for thomas Mcgough and it shows Jane Reid Mcgough as mother in law to head

so was his wife's maiden name Reid or mcgough

"England and Wales Census, 1871", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V518-TX6 : 23 June 2017), Thomas Mcgough in entry for John Mcgough, 1871.

Answer 1

Perhaps Thomas' wife's mother married his father's brother. Reid is likely Jane's maiden name, which would not carry over to the wife unless she uses it as a middle name.

Or the wife was giving out the info and Jane is her mother-in-law and the enumerator failed to adjust.

Regardless, needs more clues to solve this one.

Comments

Thank you Ron that explains it at least

Answer 2

Here is the record of the marriage of the parents.  I will see what else I can find.

Source Citation for Scotland, Select Marriages, 1561-1910

Ancestry Record

Scotland, Select Marriages, 1561-1910

Name	John Mcgeoch
Gender	Male
Marriage Date	13 May 1838
Marriage Place	Troqueer,Kirkcudbright,Scotland
Spouse	Margaret Reid
FHL Film Number	1068035, 0102345
Household Members	Name Age Margaret Reid   John Mcgeoch

Comments

Thank you Patricia so he could have been born Mcgeoch not Mcgough possibly

---

Re Jane Reid - I looked at the original 1871 census and I think that could be an error on the part of the census taker.  He may have got carried away with the ditto marks.  I think her name was Jane Reid (not Jane Reid Mcgough) because her daughter Margaret's maiden name was Reid.  I cannot find the name of a husband for Jane.  His last name would be Reid which would mean that Jane's maiden name could be something else before she married him.

Re Mcgeoch could be correct but I don't know for sure.

---

I can see why people get confused sometimes Patricia

---

And just to confuse you even further: 'mother-in-law' did not always have the meaning we know today i.e. the spouse's parent.  It can also mean 'stepmother'...

---

Thanks Ros

We always get to the bottom of it to knock down walls :)

Answer 3

Here is a possibility.  Pls do your own research to confirm.

Source Citation for Scotland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950.

Name	Margaret Reid
Gender	Female
Birth Date	20 Oct 1823
Birth Place	, Wiston and Roberton, Lanark, Scotland
Father	Joseph Reid
Mother	Jane Douglas
FHL Film Number	1066609, 0102972
Household Members	Name   Margaret Reid   Jane Douglas   Joseph Reid

Comments

I did notice her birth with the marriage date and I will be looking into it more as her if her birth is correct then she was 15 when she married

due to the first child I have was born in 1841 so see if there is another birth somewhere