Thread: Mothers name only

I have several occurences of the same problem. Only the mothers name appearing on the birth/christening entry with the same name as the child. But then finding a marriage entry with in a year or two where the mother changes her name but the child keeps its original name.



My question is do you follow the original name (maiden name) or do you follow the married name?

What era are we talking about??? Pre-registration?

Not sure I know what you are asking? Baptisms giving only the mother usually mean the child is illegitimate. But which lines/surnames you choose to trace in your family is up to you - its your tree.



I have found that quite often illegit children adopt the surname of a man their mother later marries, who may, or may not have been their actual father. I also have an instance of two step children, one of whom took stepfathers name and one kept original name. Quite often on censuses its assumed that the child has same surname as head of household.

Hi Rowan,



It is usually recommended that you work backwards when doing your family tree and you should follow the mother's maiden name when doing so.

I have the same problem but why would you not follow the father?Are you not following your genes back in time?

[quote name='jcoltee']I have the same problem but why would you not follow the father?Are you not following your genes back in time?[/quote]



Hi jcoltee,



If I understand it right Rowan has an Illigitimate child in her tree. The child was baptised with the mothers surname but the mother later married and the child kept it's original surname. Coming forward and not backwards should enter the mother in her married name and the child in it's original name. My answer would be yes although some children may be on the census with the mother's married name. Finding the point of the child's marriage will show if they changed their name or not.



Maybe Rowan, can explain.

[quote name='jcoltee']I have the same problem but why would you not follow the father?Are you not following your genes back in time?[/quote]



Hello,

If the child is illegitimate, and I have dozens in my tree, and the birth cert has no father's name on it, the only way you can trace and be reasonably sure of the father is if the Poor Law Administrators/Overseers did an Affiliation Inquisiton of the mother, and then issued a Summons to the father (if the enquiry was proved) for the maintenance of the child.

Something like this one of mine

An entry in Bradfield Union Register of Affiliations

"28 Feb 1859 Sellwood v Winkworth Order made to Josiah Winkworth of Aldermaston for the payment of 1/6 per week for the maintenance of the illegitimate child of Charlotte Sellwood residing in Aldermaston"



Josiah later married Charlotte.

Rather than pay maintenance from the Poor Law Rate, Overseers would go to great lengths to chase the father wherever he went, issuing warrants to have him arrested and brought back, and then make him pay.

The DSS has now taken over that role.



The relevant record office is where you will find such records in their Poor Law section. Unfortunately, not that many of such records are still extant.



Sometimes when an illeg child was christened/registered the mother gave the father's surname as a second name to the child. This would advertise to all and sundry as to the identity of the father, even if it could not be proved officially.



As the old saying goes,

"It is a very clever man who can guarantee his own children. They might be his brother's!"

Yours

Victoria

To everyone thank you for the advice. The poor laws advice has given me another avenue to follow of which there are many. The era i am talking about is 1745 and further back. I also have looked at the history of the time events such as war and plagues. But at the end of the day it is your tree.



Jcoltee

Your genes come from both mother and father and there respective parents and grandparents.

[quote name='Rowan']The era i am talking about is 1745 and further back.

[/quote]



Hi Rowan,



Check B astardy Bonds and Quarter Session records



B astardy Bonds



These were to ensure that the father’s of illegitimate children paid maintenance for the child. Each case was dealt with differently. A B astardy Bond would give the name of the mother of the child, the child’s name, date of birth, the Parish where born and chargeable to. It would also show the name of the father that was appearing before the Justices and the amount ordered to be paid for birth fees, to the Overseers of the Poor and the amount for maintenance of the child. A father of a child may be found here when no record is shown on the Parish records. After 1733 any man that swore an oath stating that he was the father of a an illegitimate child was sent to jail.Check Quarter Session records for court proceedings also.