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Two names, one person?

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Anne

Anne Report 13 Aug 2006 15:28

I have twice discovered people in my family having apparently married 2 different people at the same time! Is it possible that they have both a birth name and one that they are known under and would these both be shown on the register? In both cases the christian names are the same. I would be grateful for any advice. Thanks.

Horatia

Horatia Report 13 Aug 2006 15:29

Have you sent for both of the marriage certificates? Cheers, Horatia

Anne

Anne Report 13 Aug 2006 15:33

I haven't, no. I have only just found them - they are both relatively recent and just wondered if this was a reasonable explanation.

Judith

Judith Report 13 Aug 2006 15:37

If the marriage entry in the register gave two surnames, eg Mary Brown, otherwise Smith or Fred Bloggs, alias Jones then yes they would be indexed under both names. Both would have the same GRO reference. If it was between 1837 and 1910ish and a period which has been well covered by the Freebmd transcribers you may be able to spot an 'extra' male or female in the listed names for a particular page reference which would back up the theory but only obtaining the certificate (or seeing the church register) would prove it.

Horatia

Horatia Report 13 Aug 2006 15:39

To be honest, unless you send for the certificates you are dealing with supposition and very unlikely supposition at that. When you say the marriages were close together are you talking about months apart? Years apart? Is this person with the changing surname male or female? Obviously a female could change her surname if she married. Hard to say without examples being shown. Cheers, Horatia

Anne

Anne Report 13 Aug 2006 15:44

Both seem to be at the same time -one is my husbands first marriage - little worried that I am married to a bigamist (lol)! Thanks for your help - will send off for the certificates. Sorry for vagueness - I'm new to this!

Horatia

Horatia Report 13 Aug 2006 15:47

Anne, In that case you need to look at the groom's father's name and his occupation on the certificate. It sounds unlikely that this happened; but if it did, if he was a bigamist he could lie on the certificate too couldn't he? Cheers, Horatia

Anne

Anne Report 13 Aug 2006 16:05

When questioned he told me both surnames (one for stepfather and one for birth father) so I don't think he's been up to anything illegal! if his memory had been better I wouldn't have had to bother you! Many thanks. Anne