Genealogy Chat

Hi On my 1917 marriage cert it says Florence Lucy Willcocks... Widow...you get her maiden name from her father being on there, but on her sons birth cert it says Florence Lucy Grant...late ....Willcocks...formely Cox. Why another mans name has to be on the birth cert when its not really needed is weird to me...they married 7th dec 1916 child born 25th nov 1917. Regards Donna

The one I have doesn;t have her maiden name. It says Emma Colwood, widow. However, it does have her father (deceased) but still has surname HIngley.

i have a birth cert were mother was said to be formaly known as this cert was an 1889 birth cert what does that mean then,i know she was married before but ex hubby went missing never to be seen and never found a marriage cert for the mothers second marriage angie x

On none of my certificates when a widow remarries does it say XXXX formerly Sue

I have just looked through all the marriage certs I have....... For those pre 1900 all widowed ladies state: Their name as it was at the time of their re-marriage, with no mention of formerly or anything else.....Condition: Widow......father's name....whatever, hopefully revealing her maiden name. After 1900 I only have one widow remarrying.......in the name box it does say, Formerly X (her maiden name). Merry

Um - just to be different.... I have only ever seen 'formerly' used to indicate the Maiden name!(And I have never seen the word 'nee' used on an English cert, either) If Mary Jones marries Fred Smith, who dies and she remarries John Bloggs, she will appear as late Mary Smith, formerly Jones. But I dont have any 20th century certs, so maybe it is different now? Olde Crone

I am going to send for the second marriage certificate and hope the certificate does show both her previous married name and maiden name, if not I shall have to buy two certificates. One to confirm the first marriage and the other to confirm the second. Unfortunately, I can't rely on the father's name confirming the bride's original maiden name as she was illegitimate. Jenny

Well this IS news. Like Merry, I don't have that on any of my certs. and have never seen it when looking through parish records. The only time I have seen ' formerly' was on a child's birth certificate, if the mother had been previously married before her present husband. Gwyn

My ggrandmother married twice in her maiden name, describing herself as a spinster both times.

It should - the condition should say batular, spincter, single, devorced, widow or widower! Women should marry in their late husbands name with previous surmanes listed also. however my great grandmothers second marriage read:- Elizabeth Ann Wyatt, Widow (for what ever reason he maiden name was left off, only reason I can think of is she was elderly!

Yes, I had one who gave her married (widowed) name and put single as status - luckily, as Merry says, the fathers name proved the case.

But it doesn't on any of the certs I have!! However, her father's name will usually give away her maiden surname. Merry

Helen, John Many thanks for that. That means I need send for only one certificate and not two as I had thought. Thank you. Jenny

Yes, using the word 'formerly'.

It should. If Mary Jones marries John Smith, who dies and then Mary marries Fred Brown, it SHOULD say Mary Smith, formerly Jones nell

When a widow marries again will it show her maiden name as well as her name from her first marriage. Jenny