Where did all the people (or records) go? (General)

by slowhands , proud of his ancient Dean Forest roots, Sunday, June 10, 2012, 09:37 (4552 days ago) @ Antipodean

It struck me whilst looking for my ancestors, that the number of people baptised does not closely match the number of marriages or burials. Overall, the fantastic FoD site has the following:

• Baptisms: 998,674
  
• Total marriages: 242,588 (24% of Baptisms)
  
• Burials: 329,029 (33% of Baptisms)

My question to the forum is, does this mostly reflect the:

• gaps yet to be filled in transcribing and digitising records?
  
• physical gaps in the records (e.g. lost records or unrecorded events)?
  
• net loss of people out of the Forest since the first records in 1538?

Also need to factor in Non-conformity - i.e. records yet to be found / transcribed and families that move away from the established church and become methodist / baptist etc...

Marriages conducted in the Registry offices etc

--
Ἀριστοτέλης A Gloster Boy in the Forest of Dean ><((((*>