Genealogy Chat

Top tip - using the Genes Reunited community

Welcome to the Genes Reunited community boards!

  • The Genes Reunited community is made up of millions of people with similar interests. Discover your family history and make life long friends along the way.
  • You will find a close knit but welcoming group of keen genealogists all prepared to offer advice and help to new members.
  • And it's not all serious business. The boards are often a place to relax and be entertained by all kinds of subjects.
  • The Genes community will go out of their way to help you, so don’t be shy about asking for help.

Boards

Quick Search

Single word search

Tools

Findmypast DNA Banner

Icons

  • New posts
  • No new posts
  • Thread closed
  • Stickied, new posts
  • Stickied, no new posts

CERTIFICATE NOTATION

Login to Add Reply Watch This
ProfilePosted byOptionsPost Date

Michael

Michael Report 28 Nov 2008 14:52

I am seeking guidance on how to interpret a notation on an ancestors marriage certificate.
John Murray Mortimer was married in 1851. His marriage certificate shows his father to be Henry Mortimer. No problem there. Maybe his mothers surname was Murray.
His wife died and in 1862 he married again but this time the marriage certificate shows his father in the fathers name block as Henry Murray (Illegitimate).
The question is does this notation apply to Henry Murray or his son John Murray Mortimer?

Sam

Sam Report 28 Nov 2008 15:01

I've had this before on one of mine and I took it to be the father. Surely if it was the son then there wouldn't even be a name in the fathers box?

Sam x

Potty

Potty Report 28 Nov 2008 16:02

Have you found him on any census with his parents?

If the second cert gives John's surname as Mortimer and his father's surname as Murray, I would think that the illegitimate reference was to John, an explanation as to why the surnames were different.

Maybe at the first marriage it was just assumed that the father's surname was the same as the grooms.

I would think that his mother's surname was Mortimer and that his parents never married.

mgnv

mgnv Report 30 Nov 2008 00:44

I would take it that John was illegitimate.
My g gran's (Scottish) death cert shows her father as "Thomas Cowie (reputed) ". (This info is supported by an IGI OPR extract naming him as her father on her birth record.)