witnesses on marriage certificates

[dustfairy]

Hi

I was just wondering how useful witnesses are on marriage certificates. Any hints and other peoples ideas and uses would be helpful

Janette

[Gadget]

They can be very useful. Most of mine have been relatives of some kind - even a sister and her groom to be. However, in many cases it might have been who ever happened to be around, especially in pre-1837 weddings when a church warden was often a witness.

They are always worth noting and exploring though.

Gadget

[suttontrust]

As Gadget says, always note the witnesses.  They may well be relatives that you already know about, or ones who are new to you.  Even if they are people you haven't heard of they could provide clues.

[JDGen]

If you are looking through parish records for marriages you will often be able to spot the parish officials who would have witnessed many of the weddings.  But very often it will be family members, so always make a note and check just in case!! The surname that means nothing now may well turn out to be connected in the future!!

Jean

[kerryb]

I always store up the names of witnesses in my family tree software.  As the tree is growing it is amazing how many of those witness names crop up as sisters, cousins etc. 

Sometimes when you get the certificate for the cousin's wedding further down the line you find the original person witnessed their wedding.  Builds a nice picture of the family and just like today!!!

Kerry

[joboy]

The late Ted Wildy of NZ actually started a listing of marriage witnesses .... have a look at this site;
http://www.genuki.org.uk/mwi/
joboy

[jillruss]

Slightly off subject, but I also always try to find out more about whoever has registered a death  and have discovered brothers, sisters, sons, daughters etc.

Sometimes it isn't always immediately clear who the person is, but, as you discover more about the family, it usually slots into place. I recently discovered that the lady who had registered the death of one of my greatx5 grandmothers was shown on the 1841 census as her next door neighbour! Okay, not a relative but it builds up a nice picture of a caring neighbour who perhaps cared for her when she was dying.

Jill

[CarolBurns]

Most of my witnesses have been family members so it has been easy enough to find them. Even death certs can give more clues to members missing - I found a son for my husband's Great Great Grandad who I hadn't known about. I eventually found him on the 1861 census. It wasn't as if he was the eldest or youngest either - he was right in the middle so you would have thought I would have found him earlier.

Carol

[PassionPlay]

It is also worth noting Lodgers, Boarders and Visitors from census records, I have known grandchildren described as visitors and a chap who married the lodger's daughter.

Steph.