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Thankyou all for your invaluable information, it really is interesting. As a rule the majority of my family research has been straighforward and as i would expect to find it. This on the other hand has thrown up some things i wouldnt expect to find.

Linda, Any assistance would be great as i have searched everything i can think of and found nothing. a fresh set of eyes might just bring the answers, so details are...

Frederick George Stapleton (later Walker) I found birth his Jul qtr 1868 hemel hempstead (3a 385)
Mary Ann Stapelton married Charles Walker oct qtr 1871 Hemel Hemspstead

the only Charles Walker (bn c1851 hemel hempstead) that fits the bill in 1871 is living with parents George and Caroline and siblings.

obviously if Frederick was born in 1868 then he should be somewhere in 1871 and i cannot find him or Mary Ann

according to the 1891 census Mary Ann living with Charles and children, She was aged 43 (born c1848) in Hemel Hempstead.
This is about all i can tell you about her as i have found no birth around that time of a Mary Ann Stapleton, nor a marriage to a stapleton at a later date.
I dont think i have been able to find her on earlier census either.

Any help anyone can offer would be wonderful,

Many Many Thanks
Sarah

Hi all,
I couldnt really find a relevent area to put this under so i hope this is sufficient.
Just a general question really regarding births and marriages in 1800's. I have found amongst my recent research a couple of instances where a child is given their mothers maiden name at birth.
for example.
Elizabeth Louisa Gravestock (later Crawley) Who was born in the apr Qtr of 1871 to Walter Crawley and Louisa Gravestock whom also married in the apr qtr of 1871 (unsure if this was before or after her birth though)
and more significantly
Frederick George Stapleton bn in 1868, parents i believe are Charles Walker and Mary Ann Stapleton married 1871. This is the one that causes me the most confusion, as Frederick went on to use the name Walker.
 Is it likely that Charles was his father even though they didnt marry till 3 years later?
If Charles was Frederick's father why would they have waited 3 years before getting married, i have come across many an illigitimate child but the parents always seemed to get married very close to the birth.
and lastly
was is common practice for the child to be given the mothers maiden name in the case of unmarried parents, even though the father was known and they later marry?

hope this makes sense, i will most probably obtain a birth certificate to confirm the father of Frederick but in the mean time it would be nice to know if anyone has any knowledge on this as i find it strange that the mothers maiden name was used so frequently in this situation when it isnt as much today?

Many thanks
Sarah

Good Morning,
Ok i had c1869 on my family tree at the start but since looking more in depth the only birth i can find is for Frederick George Stapleton in 1868, the one you refer to. I can find no birth for Frederick George Walker (the name he appears to use later) around that time atall.

The marriage i refer to is of Frederick George Stapleton and Elizabeth L Gravestock in jan qtr 1891 Hemel Hempstead,
The information i received from my nan was that he was Frederick George Walker and she was Elizabeth Louisa Crawley. I can find no marriage record for any combination of these names and so i am fairly certain this is them married using their 'mothers' names, for what reason i cannot be sure.
I did find a probate record for Elizabeth Louise Stapleton Walker when she died in 1942 which giving the Stapleton name gives me great certainty that these are the right people.

William (Walter Charles) Walker was my nans father. The names Walter Charles would be significant aswell i believe, Charles being Fred's father and Walter, Elizabeths.
When i refer to Charles as his father, this is where my incertainty is. because although he knew him as his father the date of their marriage being 3 yrs later and the name of his birth being his mothers, i wonder why?

Thanks
Sarah

That is really useful information, i have now found their marriage under Elizabeth Louise Gravestock and Frederick George Stapleton, this would explain the reference to stapleton in her probate record, as it was Frederick mothers maiden name and he was born 3 yrs before she married Charles Walker.
Makes me wonder if Frederick was not Charles son? what are the chances of them having a child 3 years before getting married, i did wonder if Mary Ann was infact married previously to a Stapleton but i can find no definate record of a marriage to a Stapleton and his subsequent death, so i suppose the alternative is he was illigitimate and took her name. If he was Charles son but they were not married would it be common place to have his mother name and not his fathers?

The same goes for Elizabeth really as her birth was registered as Gravestock, her mothers maiden name. Although they were married in the same month she was born, so what would be the likelyhood of her having her mothers name and not her fathers? is this normal?

thankyou in advance for any help recieved.

sarah

I am trying to confirm the maiden name of Elizabeth bn 1872 in hertfordshire who married Frederick George Walker bn 1869 hertfordshire and having searched through marriage records i cant find their marriage anywhere.  My grandmother believes her maiden name was Crawley, i have found the probate records which reads as follows 'Walker Elizabeth Louisa Stapleton otherwise Elizabeth Louisa of austin villas charles-stree hemel hempstead...'this also names her son so i know it is definately her.
i am slightly confused as to the Stapleton in her name, but i have looked for this as her maiden name and found nothing also, and my gran seems quite sure it was Crawley.
The only reference to any marriage i found was on familysearch, im not entirely sure where this information comes from but states that Elizabeth Louisa Crawley married Frederick George Walker on 8 mar 1891 in Apsley end, Hertford, which is about the right time as they had their first child in 1893 and the 1911 census says they had been married 20yrs.
i have managed to find an Elizabeth Crawley and most of her family, but i need to see in black and white that it was her that married Frederick before i can fill in the gaps.

i would be really greatful for any help and advice on this, im rather stumped!

many thanks

Sarah