Historical Demography, Life-cycle Reconstruction and Family Reconstitution: New Perspectives

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Abstract
This article explores the nature of record linkage in conventional family reconstitution studies, building upon previous pieces in this journal. It argues that the record linkage process on which reconstitution is based compromises the results obtained in two ways. First, it generates bias in the types of life-cycle detected. Second, because it assumes that potential links without obvious competition should be made, it generates a range of incorrect linkages. This article suggests that a better approach to life and demography in early modern communities might lie in the reconstruction of enriched life-cycles from which demographic data can be culled, rather than the explicit creation of demographic sub-samples.

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