illegitimate children in 1920s

[ralfsmum]

Does anyone have any tips on finding records of illegitimate births form the 1920s ?
Thanks

[dowdstree]

Hi Ralfsmum,

Which country are we looking at?

Dorrie

[Ruskie]

If born in England or Wales they should appear on Ancestry's "England & Wales, Birth Index, 1916-2005".

The children would generally take the mothers (maiden surname) unless the father was present and admitted to being the father. In that case they would appear with his surname. It can get more complicated if she is married to someone who is not the baby's father. In this case the baby would take the surname of the man she was married to even if he was not the father ... 

Added: Ancestry is free till the 31st so you still have time for a quick search.

[rosie99]

If born in England or Wales they should appear on Ancestry's "England & Wales, Birth Index, 1916-2005".

Don't forget freebmd which is available with no charge all the time 

http://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/search.pl

[stanmapstone]

For the statistical minded:
From 1841 to 1905 the percentage of births outside marriage fell from 6.7% to 4% then was at 4 - 4.5 % until 1940 except for 1916-1920 when it was 5.4%. From 1941 to 1960 it averaged 5.5%. In 1961-5 it was 6.9% and 1996-2000 it was 37.8%.

Stan

[Ruskie]

Very true rosie. 

The OP would need to check coverage for the area and timeframe they are interested in in case there are gaps.

[Margaret March]

Does anyone have any tips on finding records of illegitimate births form the 1920s ?
Thanks

Just search for the name you are looking for and it will be listed in the same way as legitimate births.

After Sep 1911 the BMD index for England and Wales shows the mother's maiden name which will be the same as the child's listing if there was no husband/father named.

Margaret

[iolaus]

My aunt was an illegitimate birth in 1928, her birth is registered in exactly the same way as her younger half siblings births, just both her surname and mother's maiden name are the same

[stanmapstone]

All births are registered in the same way, governed by the Registration Acts, both legitimate and illegitimate
Stan