What does it mean when someone inserts "Otherwise" in their surname? For example: On St. Martins-in-the-Fields parish register for her marriage, a person stated her name as "Ann Littler, otherwise Watson". Signed her name thus. Register states that she was a Spinster. I've also seen this in Probate records, e.g. John Catchpole, otherwise John Catchpole Stanford.
Thanks, Dave

Hi Dave,

I think there must be lots of different reasons for using "otherwise" in this context, but possibly the reason Ann Littler was otherwise known as Watson is because her mother married, either for the first time or when she'd been widowed, after Ann was born. There was no formal adoption process in the UK until the 1920s, so changing a child's surname was voluntary before then.

John Catchpole otherwise John Catchpole Stanford could have been born illegitimately to a mother with the surname Stanford, who later married the father who had the surname Catchpole. If a couple had a child out of wedlock, but they were pretty sure they would later get married, the child was very often given the surname of the father as a middle name, so that the surname of the mother could just be dropped once the father & mother were married.

As I say, these are just possible explanations - there could be many more, but I hope it helps.

Christine

Hi Christine,

Thanks for your reply. I had thought of your second explanation since my own grandfather and his two brothers have the "middle name" Catchpole on their birth certificates (late 1800s) but the surname Sandford. Their father was married to someone else at the time of their births (she had TB) and father and mother married after she died. However, the brothers didn't use the term "otherwise" and I believe just adopted the name Catchpole without ever using Sandford.

As far as Ann Littler is concerned I thought perhaps she had been an orphan or adopted (but since there was no formal adoption process in the UK I doubt that). On her marriage certificate a witness is Mary Littler, so do you think Watson was Ann's original surname or Littler?

Cheers,

Dave

Very difficult to say which surname was Ann's original one, unless you are lucky and can find Ann and perhaps Mary in the censuses. Mary could have been her sister. Is there a clue about Ann's father's name on the marriage certificate, and/or a reasonable indication of her age? That might make it a bit easier to find her, assuming she lived within the period of the available censuses.

Christine

Actually I should say that Mary could have been Ann's sister or mother!

Christine

Actually not a marriage certificate but a 1815 parish record with no indication of parents. Ann died in 1834 so no census records. Haven't looked for Mary Littler in census records as I've no clue as to age or where she may have been living. At the time of the marriage, Ann was in St James, Westminster.

Dave

Ah. OK, well I've run out of ideas in that case. I'm sorry I can't help you - I hope somebody else can. :-)

Christine

Thanks for your help and ideas. Dave