Quick Tip – Crossed Out Does Not Mean Incorrect

Just because a record or part of a record is crossed out, does not mean it is incorrect. Often, records were struck through when they were no longer valid or needed.

For example, a court record about a debt was struck through after the debt was paid, sometimes with a note in the margin about the payment. In population registers, a line was struck through if the person died or moved away. So don’t ignore evidence you can find in these records just because the words have been crossed out.

Stricken record with many corrections. Court records of Valkenburg, Nationaal Archief (public domain)

About Yvette Hoitink

Yvette Hoitink, CG®, QG™ is a professional genealogist in the Netherlands. She holds the Certified Genealogist credential from the Board for Certification of Genealogists and has a post-graduate diploma in Family and Local History from the University of Dundee. She has been doing genealogy for over 30 years and helps people from across the world find their ancestors in the Netherlands. Read about Yvette's professional genealogy services.

Comments

  1. Shirley Crampton says

    Interesting!! I wonder if other countries did this also.

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