Question about ordering copies of certificates

[GrahamTanner]

This has probably ben asked before, but I couldn't find an answer anywhere on here.

I am about to order copies of certificates from the mid 1800s. Some are marriage certificates and some are birth certificates.

For the birth certificates, will they show the mother's maiden-name? When they started to record BM&Ds in 1837 did they start recording maiden-names then, or were they only added later?

On marriage certificates, will it show the maiden name of the bride, or was this only collected later?

Does anyone know ...

[claudia99]

Graham
All certificates I have from 1837 onwards show the maiden name of the mother/bride.
Only strange one I've had was someone who was married before and, on modern certificates it would say Jane Smith formally Jones, where Jones was her maiden name and Smith was her first marriage.  On some certificates it just gives Jane Smith, so no mention of a previous maiden name.  You just need to be aware of this, but it would show Widow in this instance.
Hope this makes sense!!
Claudia

[alcrighton]

Hi Graham,

There's quite a bit of interesting information about what's on certificates and how it changed over the years at:

http://www.dixons.clara.co.uk/Certificates/indexbd.htm

Regards,

Allan

[Nick Carver]

I have seen the bride's father entry left blank in the case of a widow, but don't know if this has anything to do with illegitimacy (unproven in this particular instance).

[Guy Etchells]

Any certificate is only as good as the information given to the registrar or incumbent.
There were no checks made on any information given and until comparatively recently no proof required for any of the information.
Cheers
Guy