Unregistered births in the 1800s. Any experiences?

[coombs]

I have direct 2 ancestors whose births I cannot seem to find a record for. One born 1851 and one born in 1856. The 1856 one had a cousin whose birth seemed to not be registered as it was in County Durham and the GRO and Durham's independent registers of their civil BMD's also throw up nothing.

They estimate about 10 to 15% of births Jul 1837 to 1874 were not registered.

The ancestor born 1851 was likely born in October, age calculated from her age in years and months she said she was in the 1921 census. Born Isabella Stokes in Terling, Essex, to Frederick and Louisa Stokes. Registration district came under Witham.

[nestagj]

I have about 6 who were unregistered in the same period;  It was a small village quite a distance away from any larger towns.    They are all named in the family bible together with their dates of birth so I had a good basis for the search, I was also lucky enough to search the indexes and registers myself at the local registrars office in the mid / late 1980's and nothing showing.
Nesta

[Annette7]

In 1851 census she is shown as Isabel Stokes aged 8 so born latter half of 1852 or early 1853.  Her sister Lucy was 11 and born Mar.qtr.1850.  Older brother Frederick not registered either but sister Eliza born 1856 was.

Annette

[Jebber]

I have a family of six born in Essex between 1846 and 1863 none of whom were registered.

Have you searched on surname only and mother’s maiden name? Occasionally babies were registered simply as  male or female before they had been named.

[BumbleB]

It wasn't compulsory for births to be registered prior to, I think, 1874 in England and Wales.  The onus prior to that date was with the local Registration District, and afterwards the onus was on the parents.

AMENDED:

Although civil registration was introduced in 1837, it was not until 1874 that the registration of a birth became compulsory. Between these dates, children may not have been registered. There was in fact a loophole as the act was not fully understood and people genuinely thought that to have a child baptised was to register that child. The 1874 Act made registration compulsory within a 6 week period and imposed a fine for non-compliance.

[Deirdre784]

Sadly i have quite a few, more in some areas than others. It was a surprise though when i looked for an ancestor born in a small village around 1837, to see his registration in the Jul-Sept 1837 quarter. He was born on 3 September so his parents even registered the birth quickly.

[coombs]

I have a family of six born in Essex between 1846 and 1863 none of whom were registered.

Have you searched on surname only and mother’s maiden name? Occasionally babies were registered simply as  male or female before they had been named.

I shall keep looking. May be a good idea to ask at the current registration district offices to see if they have anything. If not then I may have to accept her birth was never registered, or it was missed or severely garbled.

[BumbleB]

Good luck to both Deirdre784 and coombs in your searches.   

[hanes teulu]

There are 5 birth registrations, surname Stokes, mother Britton, for Witham -
Alfred 1842, John 1847, Lucy 1850, George Alfred 1855, Eliza 1856. A Frederic Stokes was registered 1839, Witham but no mother's surname.

There are Witham death registrations for Alfred Stokes, 1842, age 0; John Stokes, 1848, age 0; George Alfred, 1855, age 0.

Seems only Isabel missed being registered?