Genealogy Chat

i have the birth cert of my g.uncle, g.gran had him before she married, but he was registered in his father's surname but he isn't on the cert! is it because they were'nt married at the time of the birth that his name isn't on it? would he have to give permission for him to be registered in his name? they married 5 yrs later! it is a real puzzle why they didn't marry sooner! she carried the secret to her grave!! chris.

What, EXACTLY, does it say in the mother's name box? Merry

What does it say in the index as well? Maybe they are using the fathers surname as a middle name. I have one where it looks like her name is Sarah Newton, as it says in the name box, but there is no Father, so she takes her mothers surname, and becomes Sarah Newton Sutcliffe. (newton being a middle name) tom

As it implies in one of the replies above, the child's surname is not actually given on a birth certificate (in England and Wales, anyway). It has 'Name, if any' which will show first name and any middle names, then 'Name and surname of father' and 'Name, surname and maiden surname of mother'. If the father's name is not given then it means that the father was not married to the mother and he didn't go along with her to register the birth. If the mother has a surname and a (different) maiden name, but no father's name is given, then it should still mean that the baby's father was not married to the mother, but either she was married (or widowed) or she had changed her surname for some other reason. The surname on the GRO Births Index should be the father's surname, or the mother's surname if the parents were not married. Does any of this help? Kate.

on the cert it says the babys name which was James Henry Churchill,in the box for the mother's name and maiden name it says: carry Rouse Surch Mother. Surch was her mothers maiden name! nothing in the fathers box.

in the index it says: James Henry C Rouse but Rouse isn't on the cert as his surname.

So his full name should be James Henry Churchill Rouse, taking his mother's surname. Does it say 'Carry Rouse formerly Surch' for the mother? Do you already have her birth registration? Was she definitely registered as a Rouse, or could it be that she was also born before her parents married, and so registered as a Surch (if I understand what you are saying correctly?) Kate.

It is, Charles Henry Churchill are his middle names - Rouce is his surname. The first box doesn't have surnames in - look at any birth cert - the surname is taken from the Father's box, and if there is no Father, the surname is taken from the motehrs box.

It looks as though Carry's birth was registered in the name of Rouse, so maybe she just got confused when she registered her son's birth and gave her maiden name as Surch by mistake. Also, it looks as if she was well under 21 when James jr. was born - about 18 or 19 - and she would have needed her parents' permission to marry at that age. So it could be that she had to wait until she was over 21 to marry, if her parents were against it. Kate.

So when the baby's mother married the father (eventually!!) was the surname Rouse or Churchill? If she became Mrs Rouse, then it looks as if she was going to pass herself off as married but changed her mind when asked? if she was married to the father. If she became Mrs Churchill, then this is a common way of indicating who the father is even if the baby couldn't take his surname, he could have it as one of his middle names. Anne

i have Carry's birth cert,and she was definetly Rouse, on James Henry's birth cert, the mothers box just says: Carry Rouse Surch Mother, doesn't say 'formerly' Surch. I also thought maybe her parents wouldn't let her marry if she was under age, but then i thought: 'wouldn't they want her to marry,as in those days having a child out of wedlock was a sin and frowned upon!' i guess i will never know! I did ask my g.aunt if she knew about James Henry being born befor they married! she said they always thought he was,but were never told,g.gran must of kept it to herself!! my g'aunt only knew of him,she didn't know him as she is second to youngest and is the only one left now,and i don't like to bother her to much, she is in her late 80s now.

Ann, when she married she became Churchill, Rouse would be her maiden name.