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Question:I want to order a certificate for an ancestor. His mother got married when he was an infant to a man that very much looks like he would have been the father anyway. Would it be better to order his birth certificate or marriage certificate. I cannot decide which one to order but don't want to have to get both. Which should I go for? Thank you.


Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: I want to order a certificate for an ancestor. His mother got married when he was an infant to a man that very much looks like he would have been the father anyway. Would it be better to order his birth certificate or marriage certificate. I cannot decide which one to order but don't want to have to get both. Which should I go for? Thank you.

Given what you have said I would go for the birth certificate for a start, His father might just be named or the fathers surname used as a middle name,

hope this helps

Good luck and good hunting

You are going to have to identify where you are (or rather, where the ancestor was). We get people here from the US, UK, Australia, etc. And each country (and in the US, often each state) has it's own rules and methods of acquisition.

So we really would need to know the country and maybe state/region in the country to be able to give any valid response.

*** Addendum ***

Seeing your additional info you provided, I can only say sorry I can't be of any help. Being one of those heathen colonists I really don't know the UK procedures. Maybe one of the UK based contributors will respond.

Also, do an advanced search on resolved questions in genealogy using the key word "birth certificate" or "marriage certificate". There have been MANY very similar questions asked and in some, UK contributors have given excellent information and resources.

Each document is acceptable as a primary record for different information. Which information are you trying to prove?
That the mother's marriage occurred at a specific time and place after the ancestor was born? Or the ancestor's date and place of birth and his parentage as declared by his mother?

If the birth was pre-1930 you might want to make sure a birth record even exists. Given the option of "either/or", I go for a birth record when it exists. But since few do exist back too far, the marriage license might be your only alternative anyway.