Don’t make assumption with GRO Entries
Posted: 11 Jun 2021, 11:04
When you find a marriage on the GRO index, don’t assume that it shows Bride’s maiden name, an easy trap to fall into.
The Bride may have been previously married (sometimes more than once).
If the couple had children shortly after the marriage, the GRO birth entries will confirm the mother’s maiden name. Using that information, you should be able to track her previous marriage/marriages.
If no children are available to check, then you will need to see the marriage entry in the Parish Register or buy the marriage certificate. The bride’s father’s surname is invariably the bride’s maiden name, but beware, it is not always the case. If her father died, she may have taken her step-fathers surname, and it may be her step-father who is on the parish register/certificate.
Finally, when you find a birth entry in the GRO index, it may be worth checking the reference number against Freebmd for other entries. Sometimes, when a child’s parents aren’t married, the child may be registered under both parent’s surnames, something you may not even be aware of! You could also discover an unknown twin who died between censuses. Twins generally have same page reference as each other, (but be aware that one may be on the following page)
It is this sort of detective work that makes genealogy so much fun
The Bride may have been previously married (sometimes more than once).
If the couple had children shortly after the marriage, the GRO birth entries will confirm the mother’s maiden name. Using that information, you should be able to track her previous marriage/marriages.
If no children are available to check, then you will need to see the marriage entry in the Parish Register or buy the marriage certificate. The bride’s father’s surname is invariably the bride’s maiden name, but beware, it is not always the case. If her father died, she may have taken her step-fathers surname, and it may be her step-father who is on the parish register/certificate.
Finally, when you find a birth entry in the GRO index, it may be worth checking the reference number against Freebmd for other entries. Sometimes, when a child’s parents aren’t married, the child may be registered under both parent’s surnames, something you may not even be aware of! You could also discover an unknown twin who died between censuses. Twins generally have same page reference as each other, (but be aware that one may be on the following page)
It is this sort of detective work that makes genealogy so much fun