[APG Public List] Definition of "head of household"

[Pat Asher]

At 12:58 PM 12/14/2010, Jean Suplick wrote:
>Please accept my apologies if this question is off topic. I've been 
>to the US Census and NARA websites, and have not found an answer to 
>this question: In the 1810 US census, what constituted a head of household?
>
>I have a family listed under a man's name, whom I believe to be the 
>16-25-year-old male in the family, based on several corraborating 
>pieces of information. If he's who I believe him to be, his father 
>is dead by this time and he is the eldest son aged 22. However, 
>there is also a 26-45-year-old male in the household. According to 
>the definitions and guidelines used at the time, is it possible this 
>elder male is *not* the head of the household, but perhaps a farm laborer?

Have you investigated the possibility that the older gentleman is a 
father-in-law, uncle, older brother, or even an unrelated person 
close to the family?

Pat