Information given on birth certificate from 1857

[Julie Randle]

I have a child born in 1857 to an unmarried mother. The child is registered with the mothers surname. Two years later her mother marries and then 2 years after that the child is baptised and given her step-father's surname and continues to use this all through her life. There is a note on the baptism register that the mother was a single person at the time of the child's birth.

My question is, if I send for the birth certificate is there a possibility that the father's name might be given on it? Or does the fact that she was registered in her mother's surname mean that no father is given? (The child was born and baptised in England).

Thanks.

[alan]

I think you will find that the birth certs. will not contain the father's name. That space is either left blank or a line thru it. I have several of these certificates. My g.grandfather was born in Nov.1851 with only his mother's name recorded but she married one month later and his bapt. was recorded some 5 years later when his sister was born (both bapt. together)
I should add that his birth was recorded under his mother's name but bapt.. under his father's name. It took a long time to actually obtain his birth cert. because everyone was looking for his father's name when it was under his mother's maiden name.

[Julie Randle]

Thanks Alan, this was unfortunately what I thought. It looks like I now have hit the proverbial Brick Wall with this side of the family as I can’t assume that the man her mother married was her biological father.

[nancyl44]

I work in a town clerk's office in Massachusetts. I have handled lots of single parent births. The only way a father can be put on a birth certificate is if he adopts the child and a new birth certificate is created titled Affidavit and Correction. Then that is the only certificate used. The only record that gives the real father's name would be the adoption certificate. Even if the real father marries the mother he still has to adopt the child.