1851 shows James as 5 months old. Living with parents Robert and Elizabeth and siblings Elizabeth 15 and John 11.

1861 shows James as 10. Living at Montgreenan East Gates, Kilwinning with parents Robert and Elizabeth and siblings Robert 19 (farm servant), William 17 (Farm Servant) and Mary 13.

1871 shows James as about 19, a joiner. Living at Bridgend, Stwarton with parents Robert and Elizabeth, No other siblings living at home.

1881 shows James as 29, a joiner living in Craighton, Stewarton with a wife Jane 32 and children Janet 9, James 6 Agnes 3 and William 2

1891 Shows James as 39, a joiner living at Langlands, Dalry with children
Agnes 13, Jane 9 and Robert 3

1901 shows James 50, a joiner living at Holmbyre Bridge Cottage, /Ardrossan with Robert 13 and Agnes 23

I can’t find a marriage for Jane 1871-1873 or a Margaret but they may not have married in Ayrshire and James Kerr is a very common name. I've had a similar problem with my Great great great Grandmother, Christian Kerr. Even with my GGG Grandfather's name I can't find marriage records - maybe they didn't bother with formalities!

He was living at Montgreenan when he married. (I found it eventually). It may be that Margaret died and he remarried to Jane. Perhaps Janet is a child from the first marriage? She would be possibly the right age for her mother to have died in childbirth, which was quite common in those days. The dates given on the census aren't always strictly correct. You would probably need to look at Janet's birth certificate to chase it down further. It can be quite difficult to find living relatives as you have to actually purchase the copie sof documentation for later BMD - you cannot just download them on-line as with the older records and Kerrs are quite numerous even today.

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