Names re-registered?

[Ellen Proctor]

Hi,

Can someone help with this one?, I can't give names as its possible they are still with us.

I have 2 girls born in worcester in 1918 & 1922, their surname and mothers maiden name are the same so I assume mother not married at that time. There are also entries for the same girls (again 1918 & 1922) with the surname of the man their mother marries some yeats later.

am I correct in thinking that being illegitimate they would have been registered under both names or was another entry added when their mother married??

Thank you in advance;D

[Olde Crone Holden]

If the father went with the mother to register the children then they would be INDEXED in both surnames as they were entitled to use either (or neither, actually, but that's another story).

The indexes are only there as a finding aid of course, so the certificate you get will be the most recent state of affairs, e.g. a birth certificate showing that the parents were married (by the use of a former name for the mother).

To sum up - a birth can only ever be registered ONCE. It can subsequently be amended though and can be indexed in any number of ways, all of which will lead to only one certificate.

OC

[Ellen Proctor]

Thanks for that. I am just trying to work out what cert to send for as its the father I am keen to trace. I suppose it would be the marriage cert as it would give his fathers name (or not as in this case).

Thank you again.

[JBee]

He may have put down the person he believes was his father - so still worth getting the certificate. Witnesses are also useful.

[Ellen Proctor]

He may have put down the person he believes was his father - so still worth getting the certificate. Witnesses are also useful.

I do hope he has, this search is driving me batty, thank you.

[Uncle John]

Remember to only send for one certificate. If you send for 2 you'll get 2 copies of the same certificate.

[Valice in Wonderland]

On the subject of name changes. I was browsing through the London Gazette archives for the day I was born out of curiosity, and was amazed at the number of people listed who were changing their name. Something to bear in mind if you 'lose' someone.

[Olde Crone Holden]

UJ

They will only send you one certificate if the reference numbers are the same and also if the later cert is a re-registration - you will only get one certificate, as the latest cert has superceded the first cert.

OC

OC

[Ellen Proctor]

Thank you all, very useful