Names on second marriage?

[bugbear]

I'm struggling to find the "matching" marriage in FreeBMD for some 1920's births.

I have 3 births, and this being post-1912, all carry a family name, and a mother maiden name.

Normally, it's a simple matter to look for a "nearby" marriage, in a 5-10 year window prior to the first birth, with the two names.

This search has failed, even when all the search factors are widened ludicrously.

It occurs to me that if these children were from a second marriage, the "mother's maiden name" should be exactly that, but the "preceding marriage" might be in her married name from the first marriage (and thus not her maiden name).

Is this right/usual?

 BugBear

[Milliepede]

Could you post the names or might the people still be living?

I think the maiden name is always the first (birth) maiden name but have been confused by that myself. 

Am sure someone will put us straight 

[ScouseBoy]

Can you search for the death of the first wife?

[bugbear]

Could you post the names or might the people still be living?

For the moment, I'm asking about the "principle" (which is why I'm in the forum, not a regional sub-forum)

 BugBear

[bugbear]

Can you search for the death of the first wife?

Apologies; I was (most) unclear.

My hypothesis is that it's the mother's second marriage, and that she married the second time under her first husband's surname.

If I'm right, finding this in the 1920's is going to be hard.

  BugBear

[3sillydogs]

In my researching I have found some second marriages which give the brides maiden name but then others that have used her married surname, confusing but doesn't seem to be any hard and fast rule ...

[aghadowey]

The birth index should list the mother's maiden name but a second marriage will usually show her current surname (usually that of previous husband).

Added- might the 1939 register entry help?

[KGarrad]

Those people on my tree, where the lady has married more than once, the maiden name is her birth surname, but she married usually using the previous married name.

If you're lucky, both (all?) surnames are registered on the later marriages ;-), and so both maiden name and former married name appear in the indexes.

After all, the registrar only writes down what he has been told

For what it's worth BB, I thought you were perfectly clear from the start!

[ScouseBoy]

Did her first husband die during WW1