Genealogy Chat

I'm sure there must be at least one query about this somewhere on the boards, but can't find it.

I expect the answer's "No" -
but is there any way to enter an unmarried partner on a GR tree?
I've entered him via the "Add spouse" method - but he isn't a spouse.
That also means the relationship shows up as a "Marriage" on the slide-out panel.

I've added a note to say the couple weren't married, but it's a clumsy way of doing it.

I've also tried just adding him as the father of the couple's child, rather than a spouse of the mother - but it still shows as a "Marriage" on the parents' slide-out panels.

Has anyone found a way round this problem?

I'm also asking customer support, but thought I might get a quicker and/or better answer from the people who actually use the GR system.

Can't see any other way than what you've already done.

I removed the 'marriage' for one of my couples. The spouse must now be lurking somewhere as he is no longer attached to his 'wife'!

Thanks, DetEcTive -

That's what I feared!

If customer support come up with anything, I'll post it here - but I don't suppose they will.

Whether they are married or not, they are each others spouse.

Have a few in mine, not really that bothered.

Family trees don't have sections for co-habiting 'partners'.

If they have children together, they are a 'couple' so what's the difference?

My point exactly.

was married for 10 years or so, so important I cannot remeber

However, I have been living with my partner for just over 21 years, no need to be married, more settled than I ever was with ex!

Spouse is just a word

For what iut's worth, some commercial tree software such as FTM will allow you to specifiy other types of relationshp.

So does Roots Magic, which I use.
A man can be husband, partner, or father; a woman can be wife, partner, or mother.

That's why I asked about GR, which I've also used for many years - and have many unmarried parents on my tree, whose "relationships", even if they may only have lasted a few hours, as passing mistakes, are all called marriages in GR.

Also for what it's worth, various dictionaries define a spouse as a married person; a husband or wife.
Wikipedia widens it to mean "a partner in a marriage, civil union, domestic partnership or common-law marriage".
To me that implies a reasonably long-tem relationship.

Yes, I misused the word in my OP - sorry. He was a partner for a few years, and therefore a spouse, but not married - I meant "he's not a husband".
And therefore, I would prefer the relationship not to be listed as a marriage on GR.
We are all trying to track down accurate records for our ancestors; I'd like to be accurate about that as well.

But I didn't mean to ruffle any feathers, and am not implying anything either for or against either marriage or unmarried relationships! I've had both, myself.

Unless you are opening your tree to others, I'm not sure why it's a problem

BUT

Where on the tree layout does it identify 'husband' and/or 'wife'?

The names of couples are linked by lines, but there is nothing to say why they are linked

Or am I missing something?

Marriage info on the 'slide out' is only there if you include it, so if it's omitted, it's obvious that no marriage took place

I don't think it necessary for GR to re-jig their layout.

On the 'slide out' I put "not married" ;-)

Thanks to all for your opinions.

I only wondered if it was possible.
The answer's "no"..
That's OK - I'll carry on putting "Not married" in the Marriage section, as I've done for years

If there was a way to "Mark as answered" as there is on the "Find Ancestors" board, I would mark this as answered!.

You can edit the thread title to say it has been answered.

Thanks, KenSE!