Hi Diana Marriage bonds that I have seen have not routinely had the parents' names but they do have names of (usually) two guarantors of the amount of money stipulated in the bond - in case one of the parties did not go through with the wedding. I think the sum of money was probably notional & doubt if people who got as far as having a marriage bond ever defaulted. One of my ggg grandfathers, Ebenezer Lewis, was bound for £500 in 1807 - and I can't imagine that he or his guarantors could have raised this huge sum of money in those days. He was a Baptist and it was quite common for non-conformists to be married by licence (and therefore need a marriage bond). In this way they avoided the reading of marriage banns on three Sundays before the wedding in the parish church of bride & groom. Apart from non-conformists, it was often members of the upper classes who were married by licence. Best regards, Ruth