Surnames of Illegitimate Children
in the
Registers of the Church of St. Mary's, Dymock

© 1998-2009 Kathleen M. O'Brien, All rights reserved.
Version 1.4, updated 03 October 2009

A number of baptisms (or christenings) and burials of illegitimate children are found in these registers. The volume of these type of records is interesting in that it gives us an opportunity to examine how illegitimate children were named during this time period in Gloucestershire.

Several different patterns are seen in the data. These include cases where the:

• Record Lists "father uncertayn" (41 children)
• Record Lists "mother uncertayn" (3 children)
• Child Is Listed with Both Parents Surnames Linked By "Otherwise" (2 children)
• Child Is Listed With the Father's Surname (12 children)
• Child Is Listed With the No Surname (6 children)

Based on these numbers, it seems the general trend for an illegitimate birth was for the father to be "uncertayn". In the cases where a father was acknowledged, the most common pattern was for the child to bear the father's surname even though the parents were not married.

In addition to the surname patterns above, I have also grouped families where the:

• Parents Married After An Illegitimate Birth (4 children)

Record Lists "father uncertayn":

In the cases where the record notes the father is "uncertain", the child is listed with no surname (implying the mother's surname based on the format of other records in this register) or is explicitly listed with a form of the mother's surname.

There are two cases where the surname listed for the child is a variant spelling of the mother's surname. These are also examples of a child having the mother's surname since variant spellings in the 16th century were not considered different surnames as they are today. For example, today the family names Smith and Smyth are usually considered to be two different family names. In the 16th century, they were simply two different ways of spelling the same name belonging to the same person.

There is one case below where the child's surname differs partially from the mother's surname. Comparing this record to other records below, we can see that a child's surname listed as Warckman otherwise Reese, when the mother's surname is given as Reese, likely indicates that the child's father had a surname of Warckman.

Main Person in Record	Child's Surname (if specified separate from parent)	Action	Date	Father	Father's Surname	Mother	Mother's or Family Surname	Notes
Thomas		chr.	09 Oct 1547	(father uncertayn)		Jone	Adys	a straunger
Joane		bap.	04 Mar 1589/90	(father uncertayn)		Sible	Anvard
Wyllyam		bap.	26 Sep 1591	(father uncertaine)		Joane	Bell
Elyzabeth		bap.	20 Nov 1598	(father uncertaine)		Jane	Bell
Elyzabeth		bur.	03 Feb 1598/9	[none]		Jane	Bell
Joane		bap.	06 Jan 1585/6	(father uncertayn)		Maud	Bonnse(e) alies Wylse
Joane		bur.	16 Feb 1585/6			Maude	Bonorsee alies Wylse
Joane		bap.	06 May 1597	(father uncertayne)		Marye	Brasse (Brace)
Maude		chr.	14 Jul 1549	(father uncertayne)		Annis	Breten
John		bap.	16 May 1596	(father uncertayne..Thomas Gundye)		Blanche	Brock
Jane		chr.	25 May 1551	(father uncertayne)		Elizabethe	Budge
Elisabethe		bur.	26 Jun 1552				Budge
Elyzabeth		bap.	17 Jan 1588/9	(supposed..Thomas Tauny)		Kateren	Clarck
John		bur.	24 Mar 1597/8	(father uncertayne)		Ane	Coper
John		chr.	19 Feb 1550/1	(father uncertayn)		Margery	Curtes
Elzabett	Davis	bap.	05 Jun 1569	(father not knouen)		Elzabett	Davis
John		bap.	04 Oct 1594	(father uncertayn)		Ane	Edwardes
John		bur.	26 Nov 1594	[none]		Ane	Edwardes
Johan		chr. & bur.	07 Apr 1552	(father uncertayne)		Elizabethe	Fruyne
Elyzabeth		bur.	19 Jan 1577/8			[person bur.]	Frewene
Ric'		chr.	01 Dec 1549	(father uncertayne)		Alys	Fullmer
John		bap.	06 Apr 1591	(father uncertayn..Wyllam Turner of Twining)		Margery	Hollen
Henry		bap.	31 Aug 1595	(father uncertayne..Richard Borope)		Ane	Homes
Wyllyam		bap.	16 Mar 1592/3	(father unsertayn)		Kateren	Hopley
Thomas		bap.	03 Oct 1591	(father uncertain)		Margeret	Hewes
Thomas		bur.	03 Dec 1591	(father uncertaine)		Margeret	Hewes
Annys		chr.	08 Dec 1550	(father uncertayn)		Katerin	Humfreys
Wyllm		bur.	11 Apr 1543	(father uncertayne)		Olyf	Keyse
John	Lewis	chr.	23 Aug 1547	(father uncerteyn)		Jone	Lewys
Sibill		chr.	17 Dec 1551	(father uncertayne)		Margery	Maynard
Elysabeth	Monke	chr.	29 Oct 1542	(father incerteyn)		Margery	Monke
Sible		bap.	07 Mar 1599/1600	(father uncertayne)		Jane	Morishe
John		bap.	05 Jun 1583	(father uncertayne)		Margeret	Morse
John		chr.	07 Jul 1549	(father unknown)		Brygyt	Okley
Edmonde	a Bewan	bap.	27 Dec 1567	(father uncerteyn)		Guine	a Bevan
Edmond	a Bewan	bur.	10 Sep 1568	(father unserten)		Gwine	a Bevan
Elner	Warckman otherwise Reese	bap.	07 Jan 1579/80	[none]		Jane	Reese
Richard		bap.	19 May 1585	(father uncertain)		Jane	Rece
Margery		bap.	23 Nov 1589	(father unsertayne)		Margeret	Pruson
Elner	Shylle	bap.	07 Jan 1567/8	(father uncerteyn)		An	Shylle
Elner		bur.	13 Feb 1589/90	[none]		[none]	Sheile
Rychard		bap.	06 May 1590	(father uncertaine .. Thomas Baught)		Julyan	Shaile
Rychard		bur.	18 May 1590	[none]		Julyan	Sheaile
Julyan		bur.	31 Dec 1593			[person bur.]	Shayle
John		chr.	20 Mar 1547/8	(father uncerteyn)		Elyzabethe	Smythe
John		bap.	12 Jan 1599/1600	(father uncertayne)		Elyzabeth	Sparckes
Elyzabeth		bap.	08 Jul 1589	(father uncertayn but as she saith is Gyles Davies)		Mary	Sibl(i)es
Elyzabeth		bur.	28 May 1592	[none]		[none]	Sibles
Ric'		chr.	29 Jan 1545/6	(father uncertayn)		Elysabethe	Tayle
Maud		chr.	10 Oct 1551	(father uncertayne)		Elizabethe	Taylor
Johan		chr.	11 Apr 1551	(father uncertayn)		Elenor	Whyte
Sible		bap.	13 Mar 1584/5	(father uncertayne)		Jane	Whyt
Jane		bur.	21 Aug 1585			[person bur.]	Whitt
John		chr.	13 May 1542	(father incerteyne)		Fraunces	[none]

Record Lists "mother uncertayn":

There are two records where it is noted that the mother of the child is "uncertayn" and one christening record where there is no mother noted but the child and the father have different surnames, implying that the parents were not married and the child bears the mother's surname.

Child	Surname	Action	Date	Father	Father's Surname	Mother	Mother's or Family Surname	Notes
Annes		chr.	04 Apr 1545	Humfre	Barnard	(woman uncertayn)
Clemence	Sandy	bur	14 Jun 1553	Christofer	Sandy	(mother uncertayne)
Mary	Stenes	chr.	11 Nov 1572	Guy		[none]	Wall

Child Is Listed with Both Parents Surnames Linked By "Otherwise"

In the two cases below, the children are listed with the surnames of both parents linked by "otherwise". In one case, the father's surname is listed first. In the other case, the mother's surname is listed first. One other case of "otherwise" is found under the section Record Lists "father uncertayn" above. As the father is uncertain, we cannot be positive where the first element in that name (Warckman otherwise Reese) comes from. However, since the mother's surname is given as Reese, Warckman likely indicates that the child's father had a surname of Warckman.

It is interesting to note that the two records below appear within a day of each other and that the other record listed under Record Lists "father uncertayn" above appears only six years later. So, it is possible that this pattern may be isolated to this particular time and place and may not be indicative of a larger, more widespread pattern. It would take more research with different records from different areas to address that question.

Child	Surname	Action	Date	Father	Father's Surname	Mother	Mother's or Family Surname	Notes
William	Hill otherwise Tawyney	chr.	21 Mar 1573/4	Richard	Hill	Margaret	Tawnye
James	Pirkines otherwise Hore	chr.	22 Mar 1573/4	William	Hore	Johan	Pirkines

Child Is Listed With the Father's Surname:

In the cases below, both parents are listed, but the child is listed only with the father's surname.

Child	Surname	Action	Date	Father	Father's Surname	Mother	Mother's or Family Surname	Notes
John	Barne	bap.	01 Oct 1589	Rychard	Barnes	Ales	Wynn
		mar.	09 Oct 1589	Rychard	Barnnes	Ales	Wynne
Wyllyam	Chadnor	chr.	26 Dec 1548	John	Chadnor	Elizabethe	Typpynge
Mari	Goodrihc	bap.	19 Apr 1568	Thomas	Goodrihc	Isbell	Mores	base borne
Jone		chr.	10 Sep 1549	Wyllm.	Grestocke	Annys	Pewtres
Johan		bur.	13 Apr 1551				Grestock
		wed.	17 Jun 1551	William	Grestock	Annis	Pewtres	William = mynistre
John		chr.	19 Jun 1552	William		Annis	Grestock
Rychard		chr.	22 Jul 1539	Hewe	Heyward	Annes	Fulnore
Ric.	Heywarde	bur.	15 May 1542	Hugh	Heywarde	Annys	Fullmor	base borne
Guy		chr.	01 Oct 1553	Hughe		An	Heywarde
Sibull	Pyrtun	bap.	28 Aug 1561	Humfre	Pyrtun	Elnar	Tylar
Thomas	Ryley	chr.	08 Nov 1546	Edwarde	Ryley	Elenour	Archeley	base borne
		wed.	29 Nov 1550	Edwarde	Ryley	Elenor	Atcheley
Marget	Scheparde	chr.	10 Mar 1539/40	Robert	Scheparde	Elyzabethe	Wode
Margaret	Scheparde	bur.	15 Mar 1539/40	Robert	Scheparde	Elyzabethe	Wode
Wyllm.	Wayman	chr.	15 Dec 1549	Thomas	Wayman, gent	Helen	Powell
Kateryne	Wever	chr.	04 Dec 1539	Davy	Wever	Margarett	Byrlyngham
John	Wytt	bur.	21 Dec 1538	Thomas	Wyytt	Luce	Braullar
John	Wilse	chr.	07 Mar 1549/50	Thomas	Wise [sic]	Margery	Fynche	base born
John	Wilse	bur.	09 Mar 1549/50
Margeri	Winett	bap.	14 Aug 1567	Edmond	Winett	Elzabett	Spilman	base borne

Child Is Listed With the No Surname:

In the cases below, both parents are listed, but the child is listed with no surname. It is likely that the child carried the father's surname (based on listings for children of married parents in the same register), but it is impossible to be certain. The editors certainly show uncertainty based on the way the children are listed in the index. For example, Joane (who is listed below as a child of Thomas Knowles and Ane Freman) is listed in the index as:

Knowles (or Freman), Joan [?Jane], 52*

[The editors indicate that the asterisk indicates that this person is listed twice on a page.

Child	Surname	Action	Date	Father	Father's Surname	Mother	Mother's or Family Surname	Notes
Thomas	Jones	chr.	22 May 1549	Thomas	Jones	Jone	Wurrall
Elyzabeth		bap.	02 Feb 1578/9	Gorge	Feryshe	Elyzabeth	Shayle
Joane		bap.	11 Jan 1588/9	Thomas	Knowles	Ane	Freman
Jane		bur.	23 Jan 1588/9	Thomas	Knowles	Ane	Freman
Johanne		chr.	27 Apr 1539	Thomas	Maultyn	Elzabethe	Tony
Frauncis		chr.	18 Oct 1547	John	Willyams	Jone	Woddy	base borne
Frauncis		bur.	18 Oct 1547	John	Willyams	Jone	Woddy

Parents Married After An Illegitimate Birth:

Of the four cases below, there are marriage or wedding records for three of the couples where the marriage occurs at some point after the birth of an illegitimate child.

In the case of Hugh and Annes Heywarde, there is no marriage record but the marriage could have been performed at a different church in the area, especially if either Hugh or Annes happened to come from a neighboring area.

In both the Heywarde and Grestock cases below, children were born to the couple both before and after the marriage.

Child	Surname	Action	Date	Father	Father's Surname	Mother	Mother's or Family Surname	Notes
John	Barne	bap.	01 Oct 1589	Rychard	Barnes	Ales	Wynn
		mar.	09 Oct 1589	Rychard	Barnnes	Ales	Wynne
Jone		chr.	10 Sep 1549	Wyllm.	Grestocke	Annys	Pewtres
Johan		bur.	13 Apr 1551				Grestock
		wed.	17 Jun 1551	William	Grestock	Annis	Pewtres	William = mynistre
John		chr.	19 Jun 1552	William		Annis	Grestock
Rychard		chr.	22 Jul 1539	Hewe	Heyward	Annes	Fulnore
Ric.	Heywarde	bur.	15 May 1542	Hugh	Heywarde	Annys	Fullmor	base borne
Guy		chr.	01 Oct 1553	Hughe		An	Heywarde
Thomas	Ryley	chr.	08 Nov 1546	Edwarde	Ryley	Elenour	Archeley	base borne
		wed.	29 Nov 1550	Edwarde	Ryley	Elenor	Atcheley

Medieval Scotland | Medieval Names Archive | Names in Chesham, 1538-1600/1

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