Why would someone lie on a marriage certificate?

[Redroger]

My grandparents marriage certificate was interesting. He was b 1828, she 1859. On the certificate in 1894 he was 55 she was 40. My Aunt was b 5 months later!!

[frances-b]

My grandparents' marriage certificate is also interesting.  He was born in 1902 but by 1924 he was 27 years old.  She was born in 1892 but was only 30 in 1924.

I suspect they were attempting to “smooth out” the age difference .

[lesleyhannah]

I'm having a big headache about one of my ancestors.

On his marriage certificate (it is definitely him!), in 1920, he is down as a 22 year old. However, there is no other records of an Albert Ward born in 1898 who lives in York.

HOWEVER, after some research (I have his fathers name and his brothers from the marriage cert) there is a family that follows through on the 1881 - 1911 censuses, but, Albert's DOB on them all is about 1894/95!!! If this is true, great, infact it was save me a HUGE headache, but I am just wondering why the marriage cert DOB is wrong which is giving me such a big headache - i've always taken them to be gospel.

Help!

I was born 1942. When I married (I was a teenager) you had to have your parents' consent to marry under 21. I didn't know where my father was (many men disappeared during WW2, so it was easier to say he was dead !

[Redroger]

My grandparents' marriage certificate is also interesting.  He was born in 1902 but by 1924 he was 27 years old.  She was born in 1892 but was only 30 in 1924.

I suspect they were attempting to “smooth out” the age difference .

similar to mine above

[Guy Etchells]

Many people assume that the reason for a disparity of ages on census and marriage etc. is due to the person lying, but in most cases it is probably because they were simply unsure about when they were born.
Unlike today until the early 20th century there were very few occasions when a person needed to know their age so people did not think about their age.

That is not to say some people did not lie but simply it was not as common as many think.

Cheers
Guy

[louisa maud]

In  1898 my Gt aunt stated she was 21, she wasn't even 15, why she lied?, well I really don't know except I believe her mother, who was on her 3rd partner had just got married again  and I suppose this poor girl fell in love and decided to lie to get away, I don't know how she got away with it as in looks there must be  a big difference between an almost 15 year old and a 21 year old, But, they stayed together for years happily according to members of the family, there was no need for her to hurry to get married

Lies have always suited the person at the time of lying

Louisa Maud

[Indiana.59]

My grandparents marriage certificate was interesting. He was b 1828, she 1859. On the certificate in 1894 he was 55 she was 40. My Aunt was b 5 months later!!

Would be interesting to follow that one through - 1894 - 55 makes him born 1839 ?

[Indiana.59]

In  1898 my Gt aunt stated she was 21, she wasn't even 15, why she lied?, well I really don't know except I believe her mother, who was on her 3rd partner had just got married again  and I suppose this poor girl fell in love and decided to lie to get away, I don't know how she got away with it as in looks there must be  a big difference between an almost 15 year old and a 21 year old, But, they stayed together for years happily according to members of the family, there was no need for her to hurry to get married

Lies have always suited the person at the time of lying

Louisa Maud

Not quite on the same theme - but I ordered my own birth certificate in 1974 - and it arrived saying issued in 1984 and it was printed - still have it though it makes no difference now - clerical errors hold many reasons as to why sometimes we get impossible dates on certificates or parish records - census and such like - after a few years on doing research myself especially in the good old paper days as to just how many clerical errors I make myself when faced with reels of information - not all is all down to what may appear to be a lie - unless a true lie is continued to be followed through into all accounts in regard of that person - 15 and 21 - well just ask a bar attendant who is still asking for your ID when you are 28 years old - something that is asked many a time even today - back in the day of 1898 where lasses could appear to be much older this would have been quite easy and if she felt mature enough to be married then why not - first impressions count here too and the person before he/she has even asked your age they are summarising what they believe to be your age from sight end up bypasing your reply of actual age and have writtern down the age that was most forefront in the clecric mind - for many - time had no concept as you were as old as you look or feel - for some birthdays were just not celebrated - hense why we have so many variations on peoples ages - your Grt Aunt proberly just felt mature enough to get married and looked matured enough for no one to consider to question her for proof - you never mentioned the man's age here and could that also be a reflection on why she may have lied - I don't think any major fraud was meant to be committed here - just a wish to be married - hope it all went well for them . . .

[Andrew Tarr]

Many people assume that the reason for a disparity of ages on census and marriage etc. is due to the person lying, but in most cases it is probably because they were simply unsure about when they were born.  Unlike today until the early 20th century there were very few occasions when a person needed to know their age so people did not think about their age. 

I'm sure you are right, Guy, at least some of the time.  Following an individual's entries through a series of censuses, sometimes one finds the age tailing off slowly, as if they had just lost count.  But the details were quite likely supplied by another family member who may also have forgotten.

Another example I have is the Irish death cert for my gt-grandmother, who I suspect was living on her own.  The death was registered by a non-relative, maybe a neighbour, who just guessed an age, several years out, as it happens.