Any other way to find his parents

[Leanne.]

I am trying to find someones parents, I am stuck. I have his marriage certificate but his parents aren't listed on it. Is there any other way to find out the information?

[johnxyz]

What's the date of the marriage?

[Leanne.]

August 1884

[carol8353]

Hello Leanne and welcome to Rootschat 

You will never find 'parents' named on a marriage cert,but usually you'll get the bride and groom's fathers names and occupation.

What is the name of this person and we'll see if we can find them.
Have you found the couple after marriage,with kids on the censuses.

Sometimes witnesses can be a big clue in finding the family,they are often siblings of the couple.

Carol

[avm228]

Welcome Leanne

Another question - did the marriage take place in England/Wales or elsewhere? I see you have Australian, Scottish and French connections too.

[johnxyz]

My first step would be to try to track him both forwards and then backwards in the census. I would look across all years, to see how consistently his age and birthplace are recorded. If you can find him going backwards (earlier) you would expect him to be with parents. Later you are looking for him and wife, whose name you know. And if you get lucky, he may have parent(s) living with him later. Probably best to look after marriage first, so stated birthplace gives some idea of where to look for him in the earlier years.

To some extent it depends on how common a name and whether it is rural or town. Uncommon names in rural locations are easiest,  common names in a big town can be problematic.

If you get a good handle on place and probable date of birth, next steps are (1) birth registrations and (2) parish records. But for an 1884 marriage, implying a first guess at birth around 1860, he may or may not have been christened.

[Gadget]

Hi Leanne and Welcome

Carol is correct for Eng & Wales certs  Sept 1837 onwards:

You will never find 'parents' named on a marriage cert,but usually you'll get the bride and groom's fathers names and occupation.

However, I note that you have some Scottish ancestry and if this  is a Scottish marriage cert of 1855 onwards,  both parents names will normally be listed as long as the person knows their names!

Are you able to follow them  on censuses and find where/when they were born?


Gadget

PS - I see some of this has now been covered by Anna and John!

[Leanne.]

The certificate I have has a spot for fathers name and mothers name and maiden surname but that section is empty and so is the fathers occupation section.

These are the details from his marriage certificate
Adolphe Normand, Bachelor, Born France, age 24, occupation laborer

Marriage date 7th August 1884 ( This marriage was dissolved by decree of the supreme court 20 Nov 1894)

Married at Ryde NSW, Usual place of residence Field of Mars NSW

Wife : Elizabeth Mary ketley, Spinster, age 17, Born Pennant Hills NSW

In the presence of: Catherine Ketley and Hard to read this one but I think it's Gengi M Pope


I have the birth certificate of their first child ( born 12th June 1885) and Adolphe's name has changed to
Adolphus Norman, laborer, 25 years, born France
but the marriage date is listed as 6th August 1884
Informant: Elizabeth Mary Norman and she couldn't sign it, she didn't sign the marriage certificate either it just has an X and says her mark.
On her child's birth certificate it says witness to her mark, and again it's that Gengi M Pope
Witness: Mrs Ketly
Particulars of registration Gengi M Pope July 1885 Ryde.

It looks like who ever filled out the marriage cert is the same person that filled out the birth certificate, it looks like the same handwriting.
I think it might be that Gengi M Pope, cause the M in his name / signature looks the same as all the M in Field of Mars.


I found a criminal record for a Norman Adolphe, I didn't think it was him but some one told me it could be him because they use your last name first on the records, I found it in a police gazette.

[carol8353]

Ah so this is an Australian marriage,maybe it should be moved to the Australian board,where more people have the local knowledge that is needed here?