Genealogy Chat

I have quite a few illegitimate ancestors, lol, and can usually find a Bastardy Order, or an Examination of Bastardy. But one case which made me laugh, was the baptism of: John Moreton Green, son of Sarah Green, singlewoman of Gawsworth, and the natural grandson of Mr Thomas Green! The Vicar has reluctantly entered next to the 'Moreton' bit - 'the father?' lol. (Mr Thomas Green paid the Vicar's stipend, and wasnt having his grandchild baptised as a bastard!) OC

I think the answer to the original question is NO--you are unlikely to find the father. My husband's earliest proven ancestor is James Nethercott, baptised 27 May 1795 in Dulverton, Somerset, base-born son of Alice Nethercott. Alice had 4 Base-born children all baptised at the same church over a period of 20 years!!! There are no bastardy bonds, settlement papers, or any other documents relating to Alice, and no birth of Alice has been found. I have had to assume that she was the mistress of a man who could not marry her--she was not in the Workhouse, and by 1851 she was an 'annuitant' in Cardiff with her married daughter! At this time she was a 'widow'. I have had to accept that I cannot identify the father of Alice's children--was it the same man? I believe so. If she was a prostitute she would have some entry in the records of bastardy or settlement surely.

If you can find his baptism, the original record may give the name of the reputed father. OC

Be careful too when looking at marriage certificates. My great grandmother had an older illegitimate half brother who later took the name of his stepfather and claimed that man was his father on his marriage certificate. This was not so and earlier records show him called by his mother's name with a middle name likely to be the true father's surname. But anyone working backwards through the records would be looking for the wrong name and this man's descendants were using the adopted surname unknowingly. Sue

Hi Maggie .... I do have the mother marrying a few years later. However, the son keeps his mother's name (not the new husband's name) and there is no father listed on his birth certificate. So, from that, I assume that the new husband is not the father.

I have had a huge problem with this situation! My g grandfather had no father on his birth or marriage certificates. I had his mothers marriage certificate and could not find mention of the husband anywhere on the censuses. My g grandfather and siblings were born between 1876 and 1897. Mother is listed as 'widow' in 1891. Hope you are all keeping up with this! Anyway, I ended up applying - in desperation - for the birth certificates of all 5 of her sons! The first son, born 1 year after the marriage, has the husband as the father. The next 3 sons have no father listed :o( The final son - born 1897 - has the husband as father (deceased)... now if she was a widow in 1891 and gave birth 6 years later it must be the longest pregnancy in history!! Oh, and there is no sign of a death record for the husband! The search has kept me entertained if nothing else :o) Cheryl

I have a Harriett Elborough, widow, 2 children and Samuel Doutch lodger in the 1851 census. Then I have the birth of Mary Doutch Evans to Harriett 4 years later - no father named - but not a difficult guess as to who the father was!!!! They never married. Harriett died and in the 1881 census Samuel is married to someone else. But when she married in 1874, Mary gave her father's name as Samuel Doutch. maggie

If you are working correctly,that is back in time,then his name should be on his marriage certificate, assuming the son knew their father. You can check the next youngest siblings birth certificate if you can find them on the 1851 census, that will show the father's name. Sometimes the father is not mentioned if the birth was in a workhouse or if the parents married after the first birth, which may be so in your case.

Have you tried the A2A site? I found my ancestors details on there. It was a warrant for the arrest of the father and it told me which records office held the details. (I found it via the mothers name) Sheila

Tracy & Andrew: thanks for those ideas. Maggie: I have the marriage certificate and, unfortunately, no father is listed. Thanks to all for taking the time to respond.

You can also check the local Poor Law records kept by the Parish and the Petty Sessions records as the Parish authorities would have taken the father to Court to make him pay maintaince for his child, so that the cost would not have to be bourne out of Parish Funds.

If the child married, he may possibly be on the marriage certificate. If his wife or a child died before him, he may be the 'informant'. maggie

He might be listed on a Baptism record, but it's a long shot.

If you have a birth certificate (1844) with only the mother listed is that the end of the line for finding the father's name or are there other means?