Unknown Great Grandfather
My great grandmother (mid 1800s) in Kusel, Germany had 2 sons 9 years apart. Birth certificates and baptismal records only show her name and her parents name but no father's name. One had "ledigau" (unmarried, single) before her name. Both sons had her maiden name. Common law marriage or ?. Trying to find the man responsible for the 28% Northern European genes that I have. Any suggestions? I have been unable to find if a census or directory exists. Not knowing German also does not help.
Best Answers
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I would suggest that you join and post in the Germany Research Group.
Best of luck with your search.
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If there's no father written in the baptismal register, the mother was unmarried.
I, too, have an illegitimate great-grandparent (born 1883). Different country (Hungary), but basically the same situation: unless the father stepped up and acknowledged his activities, there was basically nothing the mother could do, and no record would be created naming the man.
I don't know anything about censuses in Germany; I second Áine's suggestion of asking in the Germany group about that. (I know they're not available for genealogy in Hungary: the enumeration records are purposely destroyed after tabulation.)
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