Baptism sponsors and marriage witnesses?

[MoranD]

When looking at baptism and marriage records I try to and have been successful in finding associations between ancestors by spotting common baptism sponsors and marriage witnesses.

I've often asked myself the questions:

Who typically were baptism sponsors on old (pre 1850) church baptism records? Would they typically be a person the same age or generation as the parents?
Brothers/ sisters / friends of the child's parents OR parents/uncles/aunts of the parents of the child???

Who typically were marriage witnesses appearing on old (pre-1850) church marriage records?
Parents of those getting married? OR Friends/brothers/sisters of those getting married.

I have managed to successfully associate families with these but would be far more successful if I knew the answers to these two questions. It's been a big question on my mind but never thought to ask here. Hope that these answers help all if anyone can answer them...

[Billyblue]

Well, we usually feel that it is as you have suggested - friends, relatives, etc.

Sponsors for baptisms particularly would be persons that the parents felt could / would look after their child if something happened to the parents.   Much like it is now.

But in marriages, particularly in non-church marriages, it could be an official of the civil office.
For churches, sometimes you see the same name on a few marriages, and it is assumed that it is probably the church Warden or someone similar.

Others may have other ideas.

Dawn M

[healyjfch]

 I found a marriage record, that had "Both Mothers" as witnesses,
Only the couple getting married were actually named

I thought that one had to have a male and female witness, until I saw that record

In 19c neighbours were often the sponsors for baptisms.