Mothers name missing on birth record

[karens925]

I have been looking at the opi records for Scotland and have found a record with the father named but not the mother. There is just a blank space in the writing. Why would this be? I was thinking it was a illegimate birth and the father has taken responibilty, but it does seem odd. Any ideas?

Thanks Karen

[MonicaL]

Hi Karen

Before the start of official registration in Scotland (1855), the format used for Old Parish Register entries varied enormously. Some parishes, particularly the further back you go, only included the father's name (as if the mother had nothing to do with it  ). It doesn't mean the birth was illegitimate it was just a matter of practice for that parish for that period of time.

Monica 

[LizzieW]

It was the same in England.  I have baptism records from the 1600/1700s of some of my ancestors, but only the father is mentioned. 

Lizzie

[karens925]

Hi,
thanks, its not just that the mother isn't mentioned theres a deliberate gap where her name is supposed to be. The other births recorded on the same page have both mother and father. I just find it odd that there is a gap.

Karen

[Marmaduke 123]

What date are you talking about Karen?

In England parish registers were (are?) often written up from notebooks or day books at a later date. Maybe the mother's name hadn't been written down in the notebook, and the person writing up the record just couldn't remember it.

Anne

[karens925]

Its a Scottish record from 1811, it almost strikes me as if they didn't know who the mother was  lol

[Marmaduke 123]

I should think that was probably it. They hadn't written her name down, and didn't remember it. Did the couple have other children baptised in the same parish, or were they just passing through?

Anne

[karens925]

I hadn't thought of looking for other children, its just trying to narrow down the name as there are quite a few and by the 1841 census John Cullen was married, I cant see which one (James Cullen) is his father. So unsure of what to do now...!!

[Marmaduke 123]

Sorry Karen, I thought yours was a general query rather than one connected with your own research.

Are you looking for the father of your John Cullen? And if you know that his father was a James can I ask how you know that?

I'm not the best person to help you I'm afraid, as I don't know anything about Scottish records. I'm sure someone else will be along in a minute!

Anne