Genealogy Forum UK

Interesting article

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-28158341

About time too !!!

Marriage doesn't seem to be the option any longer:
I have 6 children...19 grandkids (15 of marriageable age) and only
two are 'Officially' married. All are in relationships and most have
children(many by different fathers).....God help anyone doing genealogy
for my family 100 years from now......

I agree it's about time both parents names were inserted on marriage certificates. I also agree with Sparky's comments about marriage.

sparkstopper wrote:Marriage doesn't seem to be the option any longer:
I have 6 children...19 grandkids (15 of marriageable age) and only
two are 'Officially' married. All are in relationships and most have
children(many by different fathers).....God help anyone doing genealogy
for my family 100 years from now......

That isn't just a modern phenomena!
I've been delving into my husbands Danish family recently, to discover that his maternal grandfather had six half siblings. Not suprising really as this grandfather lost his father when only 6 months old. His mother remarried - still quite normal. She however died only ten years later. The stepfather then had a young neighbour come in to help with the children, and he had a further seven children with her over about 10 years. He only married her when they'd been together for a minimum of thirteen years in 1933. So the half siblings had half siblings of their own!

I voted online for this . I am so pleased its going to happen . Will have to get my youngest daughter to marry ,so I can go into the vestry LOL

sparkstopper wrote:Marriage doesn't seem to be the option any longer:
I have 6 children...19 grandkids (15 of marriageable age) and only
two are 'Officially' married. All are in relationships and most have
children(many by different fathers).....God help anyone doing genealogy
for my family 100 years from now......

I do not think that it will be as difficult as you imagine. Today it is not a social stigma for children out of marriage and having kids with 3 different surnames may be a little confusing, but at least the lineage will be kept and more to the point all the children will not disapear from records.

In the past a young lady with child would be sent away and return a few months later minus the child. my Great Great Grandfather was born illegitimately, fortunately he was raised with his mother but could have easily been given up.

Another example I have is that one of my relations ended up being a widow with 3 children, in the following census she is listed as living in same property as a widower who also has a couple of children, however, the woman now has a couple of extra children born several years after her husbands death, but they are given the same family name, it is obvious that these two are in a relationship and having kids together, but they have not been married.