Family history research is full of surprises—and sometimes, those surprises include discovering an ancestor born out of wedlock. The words used within genealogical records can alert searchers to such a birth, although these words can be many and varied.
The Words We Find: Language in the Records of Illegitimate Ancestors
The terms used in historical sources to indiciate an individual born outside marriage can be surprising, outdated, or even harsh by modern standards. Some of these words used can include:
Illegitimate – The most straightforward term, often found in baptism or birth records. It simply means the child was born to parents who were not married (to each other) at the time. The clerk recording baptism at South Warnborough, Hampshire did not even record the forename of the 'illegitimate Daughter of Mary Ann Paine' at the time of her baptism in 1834:
Bastard – Once a legal and common term, now considered offensive. It appears in the formal title of records of the parish chest, such as “bastardy bonds,” where fathers were named and held financially responsible for the birth of children outside marriage. The official which filled in this 1851 census enumeration schedule for the Stroud Workhouse in Gloucestershire chose to use this term for Amelia Marment and her son Albert:
Base-born – A softer term used in parish registers to indicate a child born out of wedlock. You might see "base son of Mary Smith."
Natural child – Sometimes used euphemistically to refer to an illegitimate child, especially in wills. It implies a biological connection, though not lawful birth.
Spurious – A rarer and perhaps more judgmental term. Like “base-born,” it marks the child as born outside legal marriage.
Reputed father – This phrase shows up when the father was known (or believed to be known), even if not officially acknowledged. When Abraham Chadwick was baptised in Overstrand, North Norfolk, in 1836, he was described as the 'Baseborn son of Mary Chadwick' with Abraham Scott being the 'Reputed Father':
Our lead genealogist, Liz Yule, is running a tutorial on researching illegitimate ancestors on Wednesday 30th April should you wish to delve into this topic further. Alternatively, if you would like some advice on researching your own illegitimate ancestors, our team of professional genealogical researchers can be contacted here.
