Misnamed relatives on registers

Post by **emanday** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 6:51 pm

Decided to catch up on entering my rellies in my Family Tree program and realised I had a problem and wondered what everyone else does with them.

What should I do when an informant has misnamed either or both parents or, for instance, the deceased's spouse's given name?

I want to make sure that "those who follow" don't look at the certificates and then at my data entries and think I'd been on the booze, (even if I had been, but only the one, you understand

).

Should I simply make a note of the error in the notes section AND notate the certificate itself with the correct information.

The aka field doesn't really explain to a later reader why someone christened John would suddenly become James when his widow dies, does it (just as an example)?

Post by **Ina** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 7:40 pm

Hi Mary,

My great grandmother's birth record states that her mother's maiden name was Flora McDonald, when in fact her name was Flora McDougall. The birth was registered by a "neighbour" who probably thought McDonald McDougall who cares......

I made a note of that fact in my Family Tree Maker program.

Ina

Post by **Tracey** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 8:48 pm

Its difficult ..............I put my grandfathers name in as the one we knew him as but put in the "note" part the explanation. All of us lot now know about the name except maybe a few cousins i have been trying to find. I dont think anyone would dream to look for him under any other name so seemed logical

LesleyB · Post by **LesleyB** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 10:43 pm

Hi all
I have a cracker of a "mistake " in my tree. What do you do when the entry in the OPR is clearly "wrong" in that the wrong name is given for the father, but uses a first name known in that family? Use your common sense I reckon! Witness this marriage followed by a little clutch of Goalens:

Marriage:
OPR 692(2)/11 South Leith
January 1777
Goalen, Walter Goalen Carpenter North Leith and Margaret Nimmo daughter of James Nimmo Merchant Leith after proclamations of bands were married February 26th 1777.

births, all in OPR 6921/3 (B 1728-1791)
1778
North Leith
Walter Goalen Shipbuilder and Margaret Nimmo his spouse of this parish had a daughter born the seventh and Baptised the Eleventh of December named Barbara. Witnesses John Sime and Robert Dryburgh.
[John Sime & Robert Dryburgh were both shipbuilders in Leith.]

1779
Alexander Goalen Shipbuilder and Margaret Nimmo his spouse of this parish had a son born twenty sixth November 1779 and Baptised fifth December named James. Witnessess Messrs Lockhart & Bonthorn
(quite WHY this error has been made is beyond me - Walter's son Alexander from his first marriage was still a child, b.1768...)

1781
Walter Goolen and Margt Nimmo his spouse of this parish had a son born the twenty eigth of July and baptised the third of August 1781 named David Wit. Gilbert Sherriff & James Wilson.
[James Wilson was married to Mgt. Nimmo's sister]

1783
Walter Goalen Shipbuilder & Margaret Nimmo spouses of this parish had a child born March eighteenth and baptd. 10th April 1783 named Elizabeth. Witnesses Peter Lockhart & James Wilson.

1784
Walter Goalen Shipbuilder & Margaret Nimmo spouses of this parish had a son born nineteenth bapt. Thirtieth Septr. 1784 named John Witnessess James Young & William Robertson.

1786
Walter Goalen Shipbuilder & Margaret Nimmo spouses of the parish had a son born first, & bapt. 6th January 1786 named Thomas Witnesses James Wilson & William Balingal.
[James Wilson & William Balingal are both husbands to Mgt Nimmo's sisters]

Would you not think that if Mgt. Nimmo had run off with another shipbuilder called Alexander Goalen and had a child by him, there might be a hint in the OPR that all was not well?? One of those "begot in fornication" type entires ...and I doubt very much she would be termed his "spouse" so I can only conclude it is an error! The child is in my tree as a son of Walter, with appropriate explanation in his notes section!

Best wishes
Lesley

Post by **emanday** » Sat Sep 16, 2006 1:17 am

Lesley, were I to swap the names and dates of your "comedy of errors" it could read just like the very problem I have

Just as an example - my grandfather was the informant for his wife's death but got his father-in-law's given name wrong and they were living in the SAME HOUSE at the time

rdem · Post by **rdem** » Sat Sep 16, 2006 2:47 pm

My grandparents' wedding certificate had the bride Sarah Bonner, her father Neil Bonnar and her relative Alice Bonar.

Post by **joette** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 11:07 am

Where I have found provable mistakes on Stat Certificates I have notified
GROS about & "persuaded" them to enter a RCE.
Usually if you can prove that this Death entry of e.g Rosanna Mcpherson which gives the wrong name of parents(as oppossed to her marriage/birth certificate)& the occupation of her Father(Bus Driver when in fact he was a Coach-Man but you can see why a 1960's adult might make that mistake.)then they are happy?? to make the correction.
Where I can see the error but it may prove difficult to "prove" I make a footnote on my tree eg-says so&so is his Mother but she died x years before he was born & was in fact his Father's first wife or whatever.