Explanation for "Born Hanover British Subject"

[fbsearcher]

Hi,

My wife's family search reveals a George Sandmann who is shown in the 1881 Census as Born: Hanover British Subject".

Can anyone explain if this means he was a British Subject at birth, born in Hanover (presumably of British parents travelling/living abroad)  OR
he was born a German subject and later took British nationality?

Thanks in anticipation.

Frank

[molar]

Hi, my children were born in Hanover and their birth registered at the British consul because hubby was serving in the forces. They are british citizens, I presume the same would apply to children of diplomats etc. The birth certs are different, white with a red consular seal, if I had known the number of times the processing of forms etc has been delayed because place of birth/nationalty, I would have come back to the UK at the first signs of labour!!

[Berlin-Bob]

Hi Frank,

I agree with molar.
My daughter was born in Berlin, of british parents, living in Berlin, and is a british subject, with right of abode in the UK (says so in her passport !)

BUT:  was he

...  born a German subject and later took British nationality?

An interesting question ! As far as I know it has never arisen before, but it is possible.
After all, if he is proud of becoming british, then he may have stressed this, if the enumerator queried his german birthplace.

Looking forward to hearing other views on this .....

[casalguidi]

All the examples that I have come across and have family knowledge of have been born abroad of British parentage.

Casalguidi

[RJ_Paton]

For some legal purposes nationality used to be decided by place of birth .... however as recently as the 1980's the UK legislation was changed to match many other European (and world) territories who decided nationality by bloodright ..... over the paternal line.

e.g.  Scottish father , American mother .... born in Germany ..... nationality British

The only way out of this was to apply for citizenship of the country you were resident in ..........

[Gardener]

For some legal purposes nationality used to be decided by place of birth .... however as recently as the 1980's the UK legislation was changed to match many other European (and world) territories who decided nationality by bloodright ..... over the paternal line.

e.g.  Scottish father , American mother .... born in Germany ..... nationality British

The only way out of this was to apply for citizenship of the country you were resident in ..........

My kids were born abroad and all qualify for British nationality through me, their mother so I don't think it is limited to the paternal line.

[RJ_Paton]

You're right ..... I was reading from an old book which I had failed to update 

the definition was amended to read
 

  Acquisition by descent.

(1) A person born outside the United Kingdom after commencement shall be a British citizen if at the time of the birth his father or mother :

(a) is a British citizen otherwise than by descent; or
(b) is a British citizen and is serving, outside the United Kingdom in service to which this paragraph applies, his or her recruitment for that service having taken place in the United Kingdom;

The commencement to which they refer was the British Nationality Act 1981 which has since been updated and amended ... considerably.

However re the original question under english law (at that time) the birthplace of the child could have been used to determine nationality unless registration was claimed with the Consul or Embassy .... this may have led to questions about nationality when the ancestor provided the information.

[fbsearcher]

Many thanks for all the replies.  This is a wonderful site.

Can anyone advise us on how to track down a birth in 1820 (about) registered as "Hanover British Subject".  Would the consul/ ambassador have kept records that were subsequently sent to England?  It was the year of the death of George III and so there would have been quite good links.

Thanks again

Frank

[Roger Griffiths]

Might be worth trying to find a German Family History Site. William IV (1830 - 1837) was last His Hanoverian Majesty as well as His Brittanic Majesty. Queen Victoria could not succeed as being a woman (Salic Law), so Ernst Augustus, a younger son of George III became King of Hanover. 1881 is a bit late for King's German Legion connection. Diplomatic or other connection more likely, then again he had a German name?

Roger