'Formerly'

[NChittenden]

I have a birth certificate for Lawrence Arthur Jacobs. His parents are registered as Lawrence Jacobs and Sarah Barleycorn.

On every other certificate I have seen the mother shares the surname of the father and her maiden surname is registered as formerly.

In the index Lawrence Arthur also has a register as Lawrence A Barleycorn.

Does this mean that he was illegitimate or is 'formerly' not put on all records?

[Peter Goodey]

I thought I explained this in another thread.

In the case described, the child is illegitimate, the parents are not married to each other and have different surnames. The word "formerly" does not appear because Barleycorn is the only surname she's ever had (ignoring any childhood change of name).

There is no space on birth certificates of that period for the child's surname. The child's surname is implied. If the father and mother aren't married, the procedures assume that the child could take either the mother's or the father's surname. For that reason, the registration is indexed twice.

[NChittenden]

Rereading the other thread I suppose you have explained this twice. I suppose, to use the common term, I need to be told more than once.

Thanks again, I do not think we have to go for a third.