This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: jecroft Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.britisles.scotland.mor.general/2312.1.1/mb.ashx Message Board Post: >From the FreeCen website at http://freecen.rootsweb.com/cgi/search.pl , the 1841 census entry for this family shows that Isabella WOOD was not a BROWN. Although this census did not indicate relationships, and, despite the English instructions, sometimes women did use their legal birth surname for the census, the most likely scenario is that Isabella BROWN was illegitimate. You would need to check the Kirk Session records for the parish of her birth to find her father's name. Another source is the local Sheriff's Court if a financial claim was made against the father. Piece: SCT1841/161 Place: Marnoch -Banffshire Enumeration District: 5 Civil Parish: Marnoch Ecclesiastical Parish, Village or Island: - Folio: 5 Page: 1 Address: Aberchirder -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Surname First name(s) Sex Age Occupation Where Born Remarks CLARK Peter M 40 Ag. Labourer Banffshire CLARK William M 2 Banffshire BROWN Isabella F 11 Female Servant Banffshire age unclear WOOD Isabell F 40 Female Servant Banffshire STEWART Elisabeth F 7 Banffshire WATT and WOOD would not have been phonetically confused. 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.