I am new to studying ancestry and I am dealing with some confusion. My jewish ancestors arrived in America in the mid 19th century. I have found them on the 1860, 1870, 1880, and 1900 census. On one census, it will say that an ancestor was born in Prussia. Then on another census the same person was born in Poland, and on another, Germany. I've even seen an early 20th century census of a great aunt that says her mother (my great grandmother) was born in Russia, but every census in the 19th century says she was born in Germany. Has anyone else had this issue? If anyone has any advice I would appreciate it.

Thank you,
Eric