Genealogy Chat

I have just received a marriage certificate in the post that I was hoping would help me find out about the parents and estimates for the peoples ages etc. However, the father of the groom has only a dash for his name and profession. Can anyone tell me why this is? Does it means he had already died, or that they can't read the writing on the register or what? Please help!

Andrea A dash where the father's name should be usually means that the person was illegitimate. In which case try just searching the mothers line Margaret

Is it a transcript or a copy of the original register entry? However, either way it could be that the child was born outside wedlock and the name of the father not disclosed by the mother.

Hi Andrea I had the same problem with my ggrandfathers marriage certificate and thought that was the end of it, however, if you can get a copy of his birth certificate you may find that his father is named. Mine was, even though they were not married. It's worth a try. Jane - Leeds

Hi I had the same problem "no father on certificate" irang register office they told me its because he was illegitimate so i got his birth certificate and that was the same"no fathers name" so now im stuck were to go

Thanks for your help. I will get in touch with the Registrars and see if they can clear it up for me.

I had the same with my grandad, no fathers name on his birth or marriage certificate. Looks like his mother was a single parent. My only clue is that his middle name was Stevenson! Maybe that was his fathers name, but it looks like a dead end to me!!

I had the same problem from a copy obtained from southport, my mum then found an original cert stuck in an envelope among some papers that had all the details on. If you know which church they were married in try the parish records.