Two different listings in the Birth register ?

[Black Sheep]

I have just been checking a birth registers from Lancaster in 1964. I was suprised to see that there are two listings with the same reference number but both showing different surnames ? The lady was unmarried and is correctly identified why would there be two listings ?

BS

[KGarrad]

The 2nd Index Entry would show a 2nd surname - father?

[groom]

Not uncommon if the parents aren't married. My great nephew and nieces are indexed 3 times - once in their mother's name, once in their father's and once in the double barrelled name they use. There is only one certificate in the double barrelled name.

[AntonyMMM]

Almost certainly a birth to unmarried parents, but where both are named on the entry - known as a registration "by joint informants".

There are a couple of other, much less likely, possibilities and you can only be 100% certain by getting a certificate.

[jorose]

There is no area on the birth certificate for a surname for the child until 1st April 1969.

So for a birth in 1964, the child had no specific surname on the certificate. There was the mother's name, and the father's name (if present), and the child's first name(s).

When indexed, the surname was presumed to be the father's name if the parents were married, and the mother's name if no father was present. If the father's name was present but the parents were unmarried, both names were used for indexing. The child may have used either, neither, or both later in life, depending on the situation.

[Black Sheep]

Thank you for your replies.

The listings show both show the mother's Surname correctly, but the surnames of the child are both different, one is the known father but the other surname is not the Father or the Mothers name but something different.

BS

[AntonyMMM]

Sounds like the mother was using another name at the time ( although there are other possibilities)...

If you want me to look at it further (assuming the person is living) send me the details via DM and I might be able to determine the most likely explanation.

[AntonyMMM]

For those interested I have been sent the details and it is a complicated one.

The most likely explanation is that the entry is a birth registration to unmarried parents (where both are named), but where the mother is, or has been, married to someone else.

I've given Black Sheep a probable chain of events and suggested the relevant records to look at.