Fathers name missing off birth certificate

[global]

Hi guys

My grandfather birth certificate has a blank space to where the child's fathers name should be.

Is a blank space the same as unknown? He was born 1924, I'm not sure how things where back, sex before marrige? or any other values then but she did marry a man later that year.
My grandfather was given his mother's maiden name at birth, but later had his mother's marriage name. 

The man she married was in the army and could have possibly been away for the birth but not necessarily. Could this have effected anything?

Are there any other possibilities or as to the blank space and name change?

[Jebber]

The lack of a Father's name indicates illegitimacy, when the mother was unmarried  the father had to attend the registration if he was to be named on the certificate. The child automatically took the surname of the mother, if you look at the name column on the certificate, it only shows the the first names of the child.

Addendum
 I was called away before finishing this.

You can call yourself whatever you like, as long as it is not for illegal purposes.

It was quite common for a child to take on a step father’s name, so there is no way knowing if the man in the Army was the father, unless other family members can tell you. Paternity is often one of life’s unanswered questions.

[global]

Thanks for that information. I suppose I will never find out the truth. By the way, my grandfather did live with his grandmother and grandfather for a few years before going to live with his mother and then the name change.

Im curious to know what do you think the most likely answer to this is..

Thanks for you time

[Jebber]

Given that he lived with his grandparents initially,  It looks as if the father may have been someone else, when his mother married her husband looks to have been willing to take him on. I stress, this can only be a guess, it is alway difficult to know the truth.

Only the mother can ever really tell the name of the father.

[global]

Yes that's the conclusion I've come to. I never asked by grandfather about this why he was alive, I thought it might have been too personal. He would have told me if he wanted to tell me.

Thanks

[Elwyn Soutter]

Some baptism records for illegitimate children name the father. Sometimes it says "reputed father" or similar.