Way to find out a child's parents without ordering a birth certificate?

[1931census]

I believe that one of my ancestors may have had an illegitimate son, but I have no conclusive evidence that the child is related to them (as in there is evidence, but nothing concrete). He died at 3 years old and only existed between censuses. I haven't been able to find a baptismal record for him. I don't really have the ability to be paying for certificates right now - is there any other way at all I could find out if the child is related to my family or not?

[Girl Guide]

Welcome to Rootschat 

When was this child born?  If it was between 1837 and 1934 you can search the GRO online index by using the surname and mother's maiden name.

If you haven't used the GRO before you will need to register then go to the Search the GRO online indexes.

https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/

[Ruskie]

Have you checked to see if you can find the child's birth:
https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/Login.asp

I know mother's maiden name has been relatively recently added to the index but I am not sure of time frames for listing this, (nor have you mentioned the year your ancestor had the illegitimate child).

Added: snap GG.

[Girl Guide]

If you would like to give us the child's name and year of birth, perhaps we can help you find him.

[BumbleB]

My first point of call would be FreeBMD to search for his birth name and year of birth.  From there go to GRO to see whether there is a mother's maiden name.

[Treetotal]

My first point of call would be FreeBMD to search for his birth name and year of birth.  From there go to GRO to see whether there is a mother's maiden name.

Welcome to Rootschat:

Me too...then follow it up by looking at the deaths 3 years later to see if there is a match in area.

https://www.freebmd.org.uk/

Carol

[1931census]

Welcome to Rootschat 

When was this child born?  If it was between 1837 and 1934 you can search the GRO online index by using the surname and mother's maiden name.

If you haven't used the GRO before you will need to register then go to the Search the GRO online indexes.

https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/

Hey, sorry, I should have been clearer. The child (Frederick William Scott Gatty, born D Quarter of 1884 in Lambeth; died J Quarter of 1887 in Camberwell) would be an illegitimate son of my female ancestor - her surname was Gatty. The record for Frederick has no mother's maiden name listed, which I believe usually indicates the mother's maiden name and the child's surname were one and the same. I found this using the GRO index. I've been looking into it and I do think I'll have to order a certificate. Sorry again for the misunderstanding!

[1931census]

My first point of call would be FreeBMD to search for his birth name and year of birth.  From there go to GRO to see whether there is a mother's maiden name.

Hey, sorry, I should have been clearer. I have records for both his birth and death, found on the GRO index. The son (Frederick William Scott Gatty, born D Quarter of 1884 in Lambeth; died J Quarter of 1887 in Camberwell) would be an illegitimate son of a female relative of an ancestor - her surname was Gatty. The record for Frederick has no mother's maiden name listed, which I believe usually indicates the mother's maiden name and the child's surname were one and the same. I've been looking into it and I do think I'll have to order a certificate. Sorry again for the misunderstanding!

[1931census]

If you would like to give us the child's name and year of birth, perhaps we can help you find him.

Hey, sorry, I should have been clearer. I have records for both his birth and death (Frederick William Scott Gatty, born D Quarter of 1884 in Lambeth; died J Quarter of 1887 in Camberwell), found on the GRO index. The issue is to whether he is related to my female ancestor (whose surname was Gatty), as I didn't hear of her having an illegitimate child before this. The record for Frederick has no mother's maiden name listed, which I believe usually indicates the mother's maiden name and the child's surname were one and the same. I've been looking into it and I do think I'll have to order a certificate. Sorry again for the misunderstanding!