Genealogy Chat

This may sound like a stupid question, but when a Widow marries again, does she use her dead partner's surname or go back to using her original maiden surname for the index/certificate?

On the certs that I have, the widow's married name is used, not her maiden name. Likewise, in the index she is listed only under the surname of her previous marriage. I think that more recent certs may have more info (1960's onwards). Richard

There is at least one recent thread where this crops up as a sideline to the main query. The woman had married twice and the record on the searchable Middlesbrough BMD site showed her as marrying under her widowed surname. On her children's birth certs, it may well show (e.g.) Mary Brown, lately Fox, formerly Bloggs, .... where Bloggs is the maiden name, Fox the first married name, and Brown the current married name. I suspect a similar convention may appear on the marriage cert. You could include it as a persuasive checking point (i.e. don't exclude if it isn't there, but look no further if it is). Christine

Birth certs are different - they usually show the mother's maiden name ("formerly"), the surname(s) from any previous marriages ("late") and the current married surname. Marriage certs, certainly the older marriage certs, don't seem to have this - they just have the surname at marriage (i.e. that of the previous husband, if a widow).

Giles My Gt Grandma was a widow and it took me ages to find her marraige to my ggd ------ it was her married name she was married under, also they married at the Registry office. Have looked on 1837 online or St Cath's index which are both the same Ann

It can be either or none. The name used is that used at the time of marriage. So could in theory be an assumed name. Women don't have to adopt husbands name so could marry more than once with thier birthname. Most do use the married name though. Bob