Genealogy Chat

It also depends on the date.

Changes in the way illegitimate children were recorded were introduced in 1850, 1875 and again in 1853.

Prior to 1875 it was not possible for the putative father to attend and sigh the register, even if he wanted to, although the rules were sometimes misinterpreted. The 1850 regulation clarified this with the words "No putative father is to be allowed to sign an entry in the character of 'Father'"

Reggie is correct about the legal issues but the reality on the ground in England is something else.

In many areas of the country those registering the births didn't bother to check if a woman was legally married to the man named as the father. I've come across so many incidents in my research

Stuart is not quite correct in his post

If the parents were not married, the father could not be named on the cert unless he was present at the registration.

Only a married woman was permitted to name her child's father on the cert in his absence.

Thank You so much, i wil have to send of for her birth cert as she is only registered under her mothers maiden name. Thank you for advice and suggestions, it has helped and sure will continue to in my quest,
Sue

If you look on FreeBMD for the birth of Iris and click on the blue page number of that entry, you will see other births registered on the same page.
It is possible that you will see a registration in her mother's surname and another in her father's surname if he acknowledged her and went to the Registrar with the mother, if they weren't married.

Gwyn

Yes - if a mother was unmarried then the child is registered in the mother's maiden name. If the father went to the register office with the mother and claimed paternity then the child could also be registered in his name too. There would however be two entries in the index - one in mother's maiden name and one in the father's name.

If the father didn't go to the register office then there would be just the one in the mother's maiden name - even if the parents subsequently married. In later years (sometime in the 1900's but not sure of exact year) an illegitimate child could be legitimized after the parent's marriage and re-registered in the father's name.

Kath. x

Very probable. The birth certificate may name the father, but i believe if he wasn't at the registration, or didn't acknowledge the child as his then the birth would be registered in the Mothers surname at the time.

I have found, who I believe to be my Grandfathers sister, however, her surname is recorded as the same as her mothers maiden name. Is it normal for children born, as they used to say out of wedlock, to be registard in this way. She, Iris was born in the first 1/4 of the same year my g/grandparents were married. Any thoughts from those more knowledgable is very much appriciated.