If a marriage register is signed with an "X" rather than a signature...

[Melbell]

Sometimes you have to be thankful for an X because you then have "the mark of .....", whereas many signatures are totally illegible scribbles!!

Melbell

[mgeneas]

And sometimes we are lucky when the bride & groom can sign, as the ministers writing is so terrible we would not know who had married who!

[Andrew Tarr]

Sometimes you have to be thankful for an X because you then have "the mark of .....", whereas many signatures are totally illegible scribbles!!

On the other hand, I have transcribed some marriage certs. where the bride's signature is much more legible than the cleric's - and presumably correctly spelt, as his version was different ....

[IgorStrav]

And the final thing to this one....

being able to sign one's name does not necessarily mean that you are literate (i.e. can read and write).  What it means is that you can sign your name.

As Stan says, sadly you can't conclude anything from the X mark, it's all supposition.

I enjoy assuming things as much as the next person, though....