Genealogy Chat

I have received the birth certificate for my ggg grandmother, but there is no fathers name, or any of his details on there. Surely this is quite unusual for the 1800's? Any suggestions?? Emma.

Emma I had the same problem, i got a birth certificate with no father on so i sent for his marriage certificate, hoping that it would be on there but no luck so iv had to give up the search as i dont know were to go next its frustrating! Christine

Hi Emma, I have found quite a few in my searches, so not unusual at all. They often wrote Illigitimate (Scotland) on the left hand column - how cruel! That stays there forever! Regards Margaret

You're right Tracey - much worse! Regards Margaret

I have had the same problems with my Grandad. No fathers name on his birth or marriage certificate. My only clue was his middle name, Stevenson, which was possibly his fathers name, but I will probably never know! I also found his brother on the 1891 census, so their mum was a single parent to 2 children! I will send for his brothers birth certificate at some point, maybe that will have a fathers name, but I will not hold my breath!! Maggy, West Yorkshire

Would you believe, that on a DEATH certificate it was noted that the deceased was illegitimate! And we are not talking about an infant, the man was in his 60s. I wonder why they did that? Patsy

Hi Debra, I have one similar to yours. Although her parents did get married two years after she was born. Regards Margaret

Hi All Regarding missing fathers on birth certificates it's possible that the mother had to apply for maintenance off the father and you can find records of these at www(dot)a2a(dot)pro(dot)gov(dot)uk, it's a free site and well worth looking at. Jane

It is very sad that bastard or baseborn were often written on the records, however not as bad, possibly, as some vicars who wrote next to the mother..whore!

Dear Emma,Idon,t know about birth certs. but I was shocked to see my mothers baptismal with no father,just an empty space.I have asked several knowledgable people about this,inc, priests,and been told that if the father had died before the birth,it was usually left blank,It could have happened in this case,as I beleive the father had died(will I ever find out?) Not at the rate its going! Margaret

My ggg grandmother was illegitimate and she was born and brought up in the workhouse. She changed her birth place on every census, put a different fathers name on each of her marriage certs. Her mother had her in the workhouse and at some point left the workhouse and had a second illegitimate child and ended up back in the workhouse. My ggg grandmother did'nt learn from her mothers mistake cos she too had a child out of wedlock. George

I have just been to wwwdotworkhousesdotorgdotuk and under poorlaws link they describe the prescribed treatment for the mothers of bastards and they have been awful over the years. However an insite into our behaviours and good research pointers as to where some of those "missing" ancestors may have been hiding from us. Roger