Question about maiden name vs last name

Owen Ira terry1

I have a male ancestor that had a will dated 1847 in Portsea, Hampshire England that mentions his mother-in-law as Johanna Swell. My question, is this her maiden name or married name? No other information is given in the will and she was named as executor.

He was born about 1787 and died at about age 60 years. Thanks, Ira

Paul W

Without more specific detail, the answer would be difficult for anyone to find, or be sure of. However, there are three possibilities here, assuming you don't know the surname of his wife (which would make things a little easier):

(1) If Johanna Swell bore her son-in-law's wife illegitimately and never married, yes that could be her maiden name.

(2) More likely, SWELL was the name of her husband.

(3) Again, less likely (for the time period), but she could have married twice and reverted her surname to that of her first husband.

Option (2) does seem the most likely option, though. However, if these individuals had been from Scotland it would have been possible to find "Johanna" (or a counterpart) retaining use of her maiden name even after marriage. This would rarely have been the case in England, in the 19th century, however.

Adrian Bruce1

To reinforce what @Kathleen Ackerman says, using son-in-law (etc) to mean stepson (etc) was quite widespread in the 19th Century. Further details can be found on https://genealogy.stackexchange.com/questions/2526/did-son-in-law-have-a-different-meaning-in-mid-19th-century-england

Note in the highest-scoring answer there is a bit quoted from US practice which says that

"father-in-law" and "mother-in-law" could mean what we now know as step-parents.

Interesting - I've seen son-in-law / stepson but never mother-in-law / stepmother. Well - so far as I know I haven't! 🤔

Owen Ira terry1

Thank you very much for that answer. The details on this line are very scetchy at this time. I don't have the last name of the mother of the ancestor and so as I search for clues I thought I would assume its the surname of the mother in laws husband.

The other answers are also possible.

Thanks Ira

Kathleen Ackerman

I have run into a case where daughter "in-law" actually meant "step" daughter, during that same time period. Not sure if it was interchangeable for a mother but it was for a daughter.

Kathleen

Owen Ira terry1

Thanks for all the answers. Very helpful, Ira