* Recording Late Adoption

[farm7880]

I have a child born in 1890, whose birth and baptism were registered in the normal way with details of father and mother, including surname. However, from birth the child was brought up by an uncle and aunt who had a different surname, although the child retained her own family surname in census records. Then when she gets married in 1917, she gives her surname as that of her uncle and aunt and her uncle’s details as father. Suddenly, she is adopted? I would appreciate suggestions as to how record this situation in FH.

[ColeValleyGirl]

She may not have been legally adopted, especially as legal adoption didn't come in in most countries until quite late (e.g. 1926 in England and Wales).

In the 1970s, my eldest (half-)sister married under my father's surname not her birth surname, even though she was never formally adopted (and gave her step-father's details for her father).

Likewise, an ancestor married in Wales in the mid 1860s and gave her step-father's details for her father. She was a widow and married under her married name. (I've not found her previous marriage but suspectshe did the same then).

Bottom line: nobody would check at the point of marriage and it was simpler all round to acknowledge the 'recognised' father.

How to record it? Well, the source transcription should record what the document (marriage certificate) actually says. I would add a note either to the marriage fact or to the source document explaining the situation. And also record an Alternate surname for her and cite the source for it.

[Gowermick]

I would just explain it in a note, exactly as you have outlined. Sometimes the simplest solution is the best

[AdrianBruce]

I have a child born in 1890, whose birth and baptism were registered in the normal way with details of father and mother, including surname. However, from birth the child was brought up by an uncle and aunt who had a different surname, although the child retained her own family surname in census records. ...

Actually, because the child was brought up by the aunt and uncle, I would put her in two families. I'd enter her in her birth family first, of course. (Does the order matter? Not sure).

Then I'd give her an additional set of parents with the Relationship set to "a" for adopted. Also, I'd give her an Adoption Event saying that she was adopted by "Both of" the Family of her aunt and uncle. Against this Adoption Event, I'd have a note saying something like:

X was adopted by her aunt and uncle Y and Z. Since this was before 1927, it would have been an informal adoption - although there is a possibility that a formal deed might have been drawn up somewhere.

And I'd also give her an Alternate Name but only because there is that evidence that it was used.

NB - I think I'm right in saying that she has to be put into the adoptive family twice - once in the Adoption event and once on the Children of the father & mother.