On her marriage certificate, my grandmother Jessie Golding gives her father's name as George Golding, a coal miner (marriage in June 1907, Pontypridd, to John Francis).
I've found her on the 1911 census in Taff's Well, Cardiff, age 26, born Aberdare, Glamorgan; and in 1901 she is a 16 year old servant in Pontypridd.
The family are living in Castleford, West Yorkshire in 1891:
George Goulding, age 37, coal miner, born Newport, Mon
Elizabeth Goulding, wife, age 27, born Newport, Mon
Agnes Goulding, dau, age 12, born Cwmbran, Mon
Edgar G Goulding, son, age 8, born Neath, Glam
Jessie E Goulding, dau, age 6, born Aberdare, Glam
...and in 1881 they are in Trevethin with Pontypool:
Emma Morgan, head, widow, age 41, licensed victualler, born Wellington, Shropshire
Elizabeth Carter, dau, age 16, born Newport, Mon
George Goulding, boarder, single, age 28, coal miner, born Malpas, Mon
Agnes Goulding, dau to boarder, age 3, born Cwmbran
I have found Jessie registered with the surname Carter (no father shown, mother is Eliza Carter), and am unable to find any marriage for George Goulding and Elizabeth Carter, although they registered their subsequent children with the surname Goulding.
I'd really appreciate some suggestions as to how I work backwards and correctly identify the parentage of George and Elizabeth without relying on father's names from a marriage certificate.
Many thanks. Patricia