No mother on Birth Record

[kevinf2349]

I believe I have located the birth of one of my ancestors (James Carlyle) to St Mungo in 1810. I know his father's name was Walter Carlyle from James' death record.

I believe I have discovered his birth record but it shows no mother's name. This is the first time I have ever come across no mother on the birth record. I have plenty of 'unknown' or blank on the father's name entry but never on the mother's name.

Why would there be only a father named? What are the chances of ever discovering the mothers name? The mother's name is blank on Jame's death record too.

Can anyone shed any light on this?

Best regards
Kevin

[Marmalady]

are you looking at church baptism records ?

It was quite common in many places to only record the Father's name in baptismal records -- the mother was considered of less importance

You will have to find the father's marriage record to discover the motner's name

or the Fathers will might name his wife (but often there too she was just "my dear wife")

[kevinf2349]

Thank you for your reply.

I am not sure that the marriage record will be much help in this case as the only marriage record I could find occured 9 years after the birth of James, so I don't know if this is the mother or an other lady that he married. 

I will look further back or find Walter's death records and see if that helps too.

Thanks again.

Kevin

[kevinf2349]

One additional thought....

If I ordered James' marriage record (in 1842) would this tell me more than was on the parish records?

Kevin

[Marmalady]

I dont know about Scottish marriage records but certainly the English certificate only records the father, not the mother's name

[kevinf2349]

I assume you mean for pre-1837 copies?

The copies I have of English birth cetificates (certainly the ones after 1837) all show the mother's name and maiden name.

Best regards
Kevin

[LizzieW]

English birth certs show mother's name and maiden name and, usually, any other name she may have had, i.e. previous married name, but English marriage certs only show the father's name.  The mother's name may be listed if she is a witness, but it wouldn't state she was the person's mother.

Lizzie

ps.  English modern death certs do have more info, but not parents names, unless it is a child who has died.

[andycand]

Hi Kevin

In Scotland Civil Registration did not start until 1855, prior to that you are looking for church records .

Where did James marry? If Scotland then most parishes name little more than the names of the couple but occasionally you find one with a bit more detail.

Andy