Author Topic: Question about the BMD index  (Read 1476 times)

Offline uk2003

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Question about the BMD index
« on: Tuesday 02 January 18 17:16 GMT (UK) »
Bit rusty at this family research and I am scratching my head over some entries in the BMD index

Can two entries be made into the births index (Mother,District,Vol,Page) for the same person but with two different surnames?
this is not a one off, a sibling of the above person is exactly the same a few years later.

Cheers
Ken



 
Harris - Millington - Hilton - Capper - Smith - Jones

Offline stanmapstone

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Re: Question about the BMD index
« Reply #1 on: Tuesday 02 January 18 17:19 GMT (UK) »
Yes they can. The birth is indexed twice,   under the father's and the mother's surnames as it is not known which surname the child will use. The parents were not married.


Stan
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Online AntonyMMM

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Re: Question about the BMD index
« Reply #2 on: Tuesday 02 January 18 17:23 GMT (UK) »
The index available on pay-sites, and on FreeBMD,  indexes the entry under both parents surnames when they  are not married, and they have registered the birth as joint informants.


Offline clairec666

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Re: Question about the BMD index
« Reply #3 on: Tuesday 02 January 18 17:25 GMT (UK) »
Is one of the surnames the same as the mother's maiden name, by any chance?

I've found a few like this - they're registered under the mother's name (e.g. Smith mother Smith), a later entry is made with the father's surname (e.g. Jones mother Smith). FreeBMD helpfully shows that the entry is an amendment, I'm not sure how other sites do it. I'm guessing in some instances the parents married after the children were born and re-registered the child under the father's name at a later date.
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Offline groom

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Re: Question about the BMD index
« Reply #4 on: Tuesday 02 January 18 17:30 GMT (UK) »
My great nephew and nieces are on the register 3 times!

Not using the correct names, but as an example, parents are not married:

1. As John Brown (mother's surname)
2. As John Green (father's surname)
3. As John Brown-Green ( the name they are known as)
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Offline stanmapstone

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Re: Question about the BMD index
« Reply #5 on: Tuesday 02 January 18 21:19 GMT (UK) »
Yes they can. The birth is indexed twice,   under the father's and the mother's surnames as it is not known which surname the child will use. The parents were not married.
Stan

See under Column 4 - Father's Name at http://www.dixons.clara.co.uk/Certificates/births.htm

Stan
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Offline andrewalston

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Re: Question about the BMD index
« Reply #6 on: Wednesday 03 January 18 13:05 GMT (UK) »
One of my lot was born in 1914 before their parents married, and the baptism entry gives both names.

In 1928, when they were coming to start work, another registration under the father's surname appears, with a "See" pointer back to the 1914 entry.

More recent entries reflect the growing trend for changes in partner. Thus Mary Smith might have a child with someone called Brown, and the child is indexed under both names. Mary then sets up home with someone called Jones and there is a re-registration showing that surname too.

It seems that all requirements can be catered for.
Looking at ALSTON in south Ribble area, ALSTEAD and DONBAVAND/DUNBABIN etc. everywhere, HOWCROFT and MARSH in Bolton and Westhoughton, PICKERING in the Whitehaven area.

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Offline groom

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Re: Question about the BMD index
« Reply #7 on: Wednesday 03 January 18 17:15 GMT (UK) »
I’m not sure that last example can happen unless Jones legally adopted the child, with the permission of the father shown on the certificate. Otherwise the poor child could have their name changed quite frequently! I think a new certificate would be issued as well.
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Online AntonyMMM

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Re: Question about the BMD index
« Reply #8 on: Wednesday 03 January 18 17:27 GMT (UK) »
One of my lot was born in 1914 before their parents married, and the baptism entry gives both names.

In 1928, when they were coming to start work, another registration under the father's surname appears, with a "See" pointer back to the 1914 entry.

That would be a re-registration after marriage - the Legitimacy Act 1926 made it legally possible for  illegitimate children to be made legitimate by the later marriage of their parents, and so you get a lot of these in 1927/28 as people took advantage of the new law.

More recent entries reflect the growing trend for changes in partner. Thus Mary Smith might have a child with someone called Brown, and the child is indexed under both names. Mary then sets up home with someone called Jones and there is a re-registration showing that surname too.

Re-registrations can  only happen under specific circumstances involving the actual parents, never to  reflect a new partner, step-parent or adoption.