Unknown Father

[chalkeydave]

Good day one and all.

I have a Louisa Draper in my tree born 1858 in Radford Nottingham.
On the birth certificate her mothers maiden name is listed as Draper.
The father name is a blank.
I can understand that the father is unknown,but why the mother didn’t use her maiden name,or did she.
Many thanks in anticipation

Chalkeydave

[CaroleW]

What was her mothers christian name & maiden name?

Where is Louisa in 1861

[CaroleW]

If her mother is Ruth - did you check the 1871 entry - she is shown as unmarried but has a number of children

1871 shows a daughter Emmaline b 1869 - GRO online shows no mothers maiden name so she was illegitimate

1861 incorrectly shown on image as Eliza

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M786-YZC

1871

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VBXH-4X9

[chalkeydave]

Yes I have that record,so do I presume she never married and her birth name was Draper.
On Some Ancestry trees ,which I don’t give much credence to,they list a Thomas Draper as father,but it rings alarm bells.

[chalkeydave]

Further to the 1861 census,if that is correct,why isn’t Louisa ( born 1858) listed ?

[CaroleW]

The records speak for themselves.  There are 2 Ruth Drapers both b Castle Donington.  Your Ruth is shown as 10yrs old in 1851 & not with a Draper family.

In 1851 she is a servant unmarried aged 23 & thereafter she is shown as unmarried

See my reply 2 re Louisa/Eliza

[BumbleB]

If you look again at the birth certificate then you will see that the heading says "Name, surname and maiden surname of mother".  On most of the certificates I have the entry is "Elizabeth ..... formerly .....".  Only if no father's name is entered, then there is a single surname for the mother.

[CaroleW]

I suspect Ruth was illegitimate.  She was b 1827/28  per census & it's likely her mother was also Ruth

There is a marriage on 23.3.1828 in Castle Donnington between Ruth Draper & George Wright

[chalkeydave]

Thank you both for your assistance.
Brilliant as always 👏👏