1871 census puzzle.

[Olde Crone]

I'm reading "The Jews of South West England", an extended thesis published in 1993. I have just come across this: (about the 1871 census returns for Plymouth)

" ..and although the door to door enumerator recorded the occupation of Samuel Levy as a Second hand clothes dealer and outfitter, the Superintendent Registrar crossed this out and substituted JEW. "

The puzzle is - did the Superintendent Registrar really go through every return? If he did, why would he have substituted the word Jew? Other than nasty prejudice of course, which surely was not in his remit.

Any thoughts?

OC