This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: IHall6669 Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.britisles.scotland.ans.general/5899.1.1.1/mb.ashx Message Board Post: No, unfortunately "should" have been in the OPR doesn't mean it actually was. >From extracting civil records of people who died after 1855 I can attest to the fact that many, many of those people had no birth recorded in the pre-1855 OPRs. And many illegitimate children used their father's surname through life, even those born after 1855 who were registered with the mother's surname. I have also found some marriages in my own family lines where the information given at marriage was incorrect. Especially if one of the parties was born illegitimate. In at least one case I am about convinced that the bride made up her father's name. And it's a certainty that her mother never married anyone by that name, although the child's marriage states the parents were married. I have also recently found a marriage where the bride gave her stepfather as her father (and used his surname)and her father's surname is used as her middle name--the name her birth was registered under, as her father did sign the birth registration. Meanwhile, you say you have his mother's death certificate so you should have her parents. Any help we can give you with them? Was she from Kirriemuir? Irene Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.