Genealogy Chat

I have an ancestor Nic(h)olas McFarlane born 1830 in Trinity Gask, Perth. Her parents were John McFarlane and Nic(h)olas Morgan married 1820 in Muthill, Perth. The only birth I can find in Muthill for Nicolas Morgan is a male birth in 1790. The entry in the register reads " att Concraig att examination Nicolas son of William Morgan and Catherine Campbell". All the other entries just give the christian name of the child, and son or daughter of -and names of parents. I know that unfortunately the parent's of a child can sometimes be told the wrong sex of their child at birth even nowadays. Has anyone come across a similar occurence in their ancestry and does anyone know how it would have been dealt with 200 years ago? Any help with this delicate subject would be much appreciated.
Thanks Susan.

Susan

Not in my ancestry but a year ago I did help someone on here who, it turned out, had a similar scenario for an uncle, but theirs was from the 1900s.

200 years ago I would guess it would depend on when the 'mistake' was found as to how it was treated.

Sorry that it isn't alot of help for your specific enquiry.

Chris

Thanks for your help Chris.
Susan

Possibly an error on the part of the registrar. The name Nicholas suggests a boy so thats what was put.

I have a birth cert of my grandmother. Her first name is mistranscribed as Constant and sex is given as boy.

I have recently had to do a death cert in NZ.The funeral director took down the details and wasnt obviously listening properly. He wrote the dead person had 2 boys and 2 girls which wasnt the case. The lawyer handling the will etc made the funeral director get the details changed because she wouldnt certify something that wasnt true.

Back in your rellies time they probably couldnt read so wouldnt know about the mistake

Thanks for that Margaret. It was the "att examination son of" that made me think it was odd. I agree that the parents almost certainly couldn't read. It seems that a lot of people couldn't read before 1880/90 looking at the birth and marriage certs I've got.
Susan

I have a birth cert 1840 for a Eliza sex girl but is infact my gg/grandfather Elijah

Susan just realised what you meant by on examination. .

I have just googled and read an article Nova Transcripts sex unknown. It said thousands of children are born with an intersex condition as its now called. Its more common than cystic fibrosis and Downs syndrome combined.
It was an interesting article to read.

I was wondering if perhaps her sex was not clear at birth and after "examination" the child was declared a boy and given the name Nicolas - only to end up being a girl.

I guess once they've been baptised with a name they were stuck with it, unless they shortened it to Nicola within the family and just used the baptism name for official documents.

Intriguing isn't it?

Athena

ps - ah, just realised that you said there were TWO females with the name Nicolas (mother and daughter). Bit strange that the mother would pass on a boy's name to her daughter. Unless back then Nicolas was also a girl's name? I'm definitely confused now...

That's what I was wondering Athena,if Nicolas was examined and was baptised as a boy and then later they decided that she was after all a girl. As for Nicolas and John naming their daughter Nicolas the Scots seem to stick rigidly to their pattern of naming children so 3rd daughter named after Mum!!These are my husband's ancestors and there are so many named John, George or James with the same surname as us it drives me potty trying to sort them out. Will read that article now Margaret. Carol thanks letting me know it happened in your ancestry too.
Susan.

Just to add. Nicolas would have originally been a maiden name of a mother. Many children were given as surname either boy or girl

There is a Nicholas Morgan female ch. 24/10/1790 Crichton Midlothian Parents James Morgan and Ann Wilson. Could she be your Nicholas?Perhaps her parents moved

Yes. I found that one too Margaret but double checking everything on census, Scotlands People and IGI my Nicolas was definitely born in Muthill.
Susan

Hi Susan,

My 4xg/grandmother was born in Scotland 1824. She was baptised Nicholas, which was common for girls in her family. She later switched to Agnes when she moved to Wales.


Deb:)

Hi I've also got a whole line of female Nicolas's from Scotland in my tree, the last one being born c1900, this could cause confusion, especially if the parents couldn't read. hope you solve the mystery!
Chris