Incorrect Info on a Death Certificate

[BW252]

Why would someone give false details when he is the informant of a death???    I have an ancestor whose partner gave birth to 3 children both parents are named on the BCs.     On her death certificate she is shown as Robson and he is shown as her brother, her father and mother are also incorrect.    Details are:    Adam Robson (1866 Hawick – 1929 Jedburgh) partner Elspeth Millar (1865 Ladhope – 1903 Glasgow).    Has anyone come across this kind of thing before?      I cannot find a DC for Elspeth Millar at all.    Family letters show that she died just after her son James was born (1902).     Or am I completely out on a limb with incorrect info!!!!!

[Billyblue]

Inaccuracies happen on ALL certificates, not just death certs.

Sometimes it is to cover something up.
On a DC it is more likely a misunderstanding in a time of grief, if the information is being given by a relative.

On one of the birth certs I have, my GGF Patrick gave his son's father's name as Denis. We wondered why until we realised he was probably asked by the bureaucrat "Father's name?" and Patrick not being particularly bright, gave his own father's name instead of the child's father's name (i.e. his).
Names of spouse's parents, on death certificates, is often wrong.  If people don't talk about their rellies when alive, the survivors often have only sketchy details to give for the record.

Dawn M

[jaybelnz]

That's dead right!  (Pardon the pun).  The information on a death certificate is only as accurate as the informant's knowledge!  My Dad had put his mother's first husband's name as John, in fact it was Samuel! 

Jeanne

[hdw]

Yes, mistakes on a death-certificate are more likely to be the result of ignorance than intention to mislead. It's often assumed that in the past, people all lived cheek by jowl with their extended family, but I've seen plenty of examples of an informant having no idea who his or her grandparents were. One of my female ancestors had her death registered by her "nephew-in-law", who not surprisingly got most of the details wrong. How would he know who his wife's aunt's parents were? The worst thing is when they don't know for sure, so they guess at the details and of course make blunders, but you only know that if you have already researched the person in question.

Harry

[BW252]

Thanks for replies.    Adam lived with Elspeth and had 3 kids by her (all acknowledged by name, Robson and Millar,  on BCs.    I can only assume he had something to hide but what?   

[pharmaT]

I agree, IME it's usually due to not knowing.  One of my ancestor's death's was registered by the coroner, other than cause of death info was very sparse.

[sancti]

Looks like she may have died 1903 under the name Robson in Dennistoun

[BW252]

Sancti

yes found that DC and that is what caused the problems.  It is definitely Adam, his signature is pretty consistent thro all his childrens birth certs.    Just cannot get my head around why he would say he was her brother!.   More misinformation  on the 1911 census when he says he was married for 4 years but all his children at the time were illegitimate (all recognised by both Adam and Mary).   They married in 1914!    What a man, have had more fun researching him than any other family member.
Thanks to all who replied.