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Illegitimate !!!!!

ProfilePosted byOptionsPost Date

Kathlyn

Kathlyn Report 8 Aug 2007 14:21

I have found two possible illegitimate people in my tree but need to know if my understanding is correct or not.....On the marriage cert. no father has been named, is this because of illegitimacy???? Kathlyn

Jane Gateshead Girl

Jane Gateshead Girl Report 8 Aug 2007 14:42

I don't think that not having father's name on the marriage cert proves they are illegitimate, possibly only the birth cert can prove that. I have found from experience that Marriage certs although most of the time are good source of info they are not always correct. Could be at the time of the wedding she wasn't speaking to her father!! I have one that had put his father down as deceased - then I found he was living in a Workhouse. Another had put his father as deceased on his first marriage cert but not so on the second - maybe he came to life (lol).

Chris in Sussex

Chris in Sussex Report 8 Aug 2007 14:56

Kathlyn It could be that he was illegitimate.... But it could also be that the son/daughter had disowned his/her father, for whatever reason, and did not wish to acknowledge him when they married Chris

KathleenBell

KathleenBell Report 8 Aug 2007 15:01

It would be better if you could find the birth certificates for these two people. If no father is named on that then they are probably illegitimate. Kath. x

Chris in Sussex

Chris in Sussex Report 8 Aug 2007 15:05

Another thought.... You don't say when this took place or the couple's 'social status' Just imagine a couple marrying in 1841 of 'lowly' social standing... The 'important' person asks 'Father's name'......Bride/Groom totally awestruck thinks 'Dad's deceased' so answers 'I haven't one'.........Blank space! Chris

Bo

Bo Report 8 Aug 2007 15:23

Chris that is an excellent thought. However if the marraige is 1841 there is unlikley to be a birth certificate as such - it'll have to be parish records for a baptism or possibly IGI. Bo

Anne

Anne Report 8 Aug 2007 15:41

I specially ordered the marriage certificate for my ggg grandfather to his second wife in 1852. They were both widowed and he was 53. I thought it was a good wheeze to check I had his father correct but - drat him- he had not put his father's name down! I have since spoken to people who say this is not uncommon with those of more mature years, so there's another reason for a blank on a marriage cert. Anne