Hallo Patrick No, you do not need to have the 'correct' order of first names before ordering certificates. If you order from the www.gro.gov.uk, and there are direct links to this site from FreeBMD and TNA sites, you will find when you get to about page 3 or 4 of the ordering process that there are 'checking options'. Here you can specify parents' names, either one or both parents, and you can include other criteria. If you have a choice of references then you have to pay £4.00 to look at the second ref if the first does not meet your requirement, and so on. In your case I believe you have a single reference per child. If the checking points on the certificate do not match your criteria you will be charged £4.00 and will not receive a certificate. Why not try out the process? You have to register on the site before using it, but this is free. You can always cancel the order before submitting it if you decide you are not happy with what you have done. The GRO site is the cheapest and quickest way of ordering certificates -£7.50 for standard UK postage. Megabucks if you are so impatient you want it emailed to you!! Changing the order of children's names was common. However, sometimes it indicates that child number one died, and the parents used the same names in reverse order for child number two. Hilary > Date: Sat, 21 Nov 2009 22:13:36 +0900 > From: patrick holland <lambeth@tadaust.org.au> > Subject: Re: [SRY] Anomaly between 19911 census entry and > Free BDM. > To: eng-surrey@rootsweb.com > Message-ID: <4B07E780.9050602@tadaust.org.au> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; > format=flowed > > Hi Anne, > > Thanks for the Baptism information. The family of  > Joseph Holland and > Bridget Holland ( nee Sharkey) is the correct one but, > except for,  > Annie Elizabeth Holland, who was born in Ireland in Dec > 1985,  all the > other baptismal dates are for dates which are just before > the dates when > the children were actually born.  For  Example, > Joseph William was born > Sept. 1901, Eliza was born June 1897.  Kathleen, Grace > was born  1900, > Henry Michael was born March 1903. > > I need to sort out the correct order of  the Cristian > names because I > will need to know that before. I order any BDM certificated > for them. > > Thanks Anne. > > Patrick > Perth, Western Australia. > > Anne Chambers wrote: > > Possibly the sons were known by their second names and > that is why the order was reversed on the census - if > > otherwise they match exactly, I wouldn't worry too > much. > > > > Have you checked to see if there are any baptisms on > Ancestry ?  There is this one which I presume is the > > correct family > > Joseph William Holland      > Baptism      16 Jun 1901  >     Joseph Holland, Bridget Holland >     Saint Mary At Lambeth     > Lambeth > > > > It would, no doubt, have been confusing to have two > Josephs (father & son) in the same family > > > > These are probably theirs as well > > Eliza Holland      Baptism  >     14 Apr 1897      > Joseph Holland,Bridget Holland     Saint Mary > At Lambeth     Lambeth     > > > > Annie Elizabeth Holland     Baptism >     11 Oct 1899     Joseph > Holland,Bridget Holland     Saint Mary At > Lambeth     Lambeth     > > > > Kathleen Grace Holland     Baptism >     11 Oct 1899     Joseph > Holland, > > Bridget Holland     Saint Mary At > Lambeth     Lambeth     > > > > Henry Michael Holland     Baptism >     18 Feb 1903     Joseph > Holland, > > Bridget Holland     Saint Mary The Less >     Lambeth > > > > Who knows why our ancestors did what they did ! > > > > Anne > > South Australia > > > > patrick holland wrote: > >    > >> Hello, > >> > >> I have looked at the 1911 census for Joseph > Holland who lived in Lambeth at the time he completed the > >> census and found that the order of the Christian > names he gives for  his 5 sons on the census, is > reversed > >> on Free BDM. I searched Free BDM under both > Lambeth or Surrey and found the same reversal exists in > both > >> Lambeth and Surrey. > >> > >> However, .the order of the Christian names of his > 5 daughters, as given on the 1901 census, is  the same > on > >> both the 1911 census. and Free BDM The 5 sons were > all born after the 1901 census so I only have them on > >> the 1911 census. > >> > >> For example, on the1911 census, signed by the > father, Joseph Holland, the name of the first son is > entered > >> as. William J Holland age 9 born in Lambeth. > Whereas on Free BDM , for both Lambeth and Surrey, there is > a > >> Joseph William Holland  born 1901 Sept. > Lambeth. 1d 348. As the dates of birth given on the Free BDM > agree > >> with the ages  given for each son on the 1911 > census.,  I assume that the Free BDM person , of the > same > >> birth date, and the 1911 person who fits that age, > are the same person, only the order of  the Christian > >> names, entered by the father, Joseph Holland, > differs with the order given on the Free BDM. > >> > >> Only 2 of the 5 daughters were born in,  > Lambeth, England ,  and  both their Christian name > order and ages > >> from the 1911 census and Free BDM are the same for > Lambeth and Surrey. . So only the reversal of the > >> Christian names of the 5 sons  is > problematical. > >> > >> Can anybody please explain this. > >> > >> Thank you. > >> > >> Patrick Holland. >