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Vital Records Tour Continued-
Examples of Birth / Baptismal Records

 

Illegitimate Births

It is important to note that all illegitimate births had to be recorded along with legitimate births in the parish registers.  However, since the mother was not legally married according to the church, the legitimate father of the child is not known.  Therefore, the father's name is never listed, even if the priest and everyone in the village might have known exactly who the father was!

In place of the father's name, you may find a symbol of "X" or "O", or the Latin terms "Pater Ignotus" ("unknown father") or "Patris Ignoranti"  ("of an unknown father") or "Ignotus Parens" ("unknown parent"), or the father's name could simply be left blank.

The last name of the child, therefore, is officially the last name of the unwed mother.  This last name will carry throughout the child's life, and will be listed on the child's subsequent marriage and death records.  (Though in some cases, if the mother eventually marries, the husband's last name could be found listed for the previously illegitimate birth child's last name in subsequent marriage and death records.)

 

In the first example, the father's name is listed as "Ignotus Parens" ("Unknown Parent") while the mother's maiden name is not known.  Her name is simply recorded as "Carolina".  In the second example, the father's name is listed with a sign "+", while you find the unwed mother's full name "Carolina Maciborkowa".  Most likely, this is one and the same unwed mother since it's the same house number.  However, only a complete study of the village to determine all residents of that house number and any other possible candidates named "Carolina" can verify this.   Keep in mind the possibility that the house number recorded may not be the mother's house, but the house of a neighbor or relative. 

from the village of Podkamień, Roman Catholic parish of Podkamień, 1827.

from the village of Podkamień, Roman Catholic parish of Podkamień, 1829.

 

 

Illegitimate births are nothing new in this day and age...no matter how the media may try to point out current trends caused by the lack of church, disappearing parental guidance or excessive explicit television shows.  To illustrate, here's an example from one parish register of four illegitimate births in a row.

from the village of Ushnia, Greek Catholic parish of Bilyi Kamin, 1838.

 

 

 

Mistakes in the Records

Unfortunately, mistakes happen...and the same is true, of course, for genealogical records.  Usually only a thorough study of a complete set of records can uncover simple mistakes.  This creates a difficult situation for a researcher who may only have a single copy of one vital record available.  How can we tell for sure that what we have is the truth?  Unfortunately, we can't.  First of all, a parish register is a secondary source...it is evidence that is given to us by someone else who may or may not have been present at the time of the event.  Furthermore, the record could have been written several days after the event by the priest, assistant priest or clerk.  And in the case of the "bishop's copy", a full year might have passed and the person copying the information from the original record may have made a mistake.

We can not avoid such "honest" mistakes.  I'm not trying to scare anyone out of continuing his/her own genealogical research...but only shedding light on the possibility of human error.  We as researchers often only have one record to learn everything we know about a person.

 

In a complete study of one village, I was able to uncover a record showing the birth of a girl "Antonina" and her death as a boy with the name "Antoni".  So, without any other sources, such as village lists or a marriage record, I have no idea whether this person was a girl named Antonina or a boy named Antoni:

from the village of Usznia, Roman Catholic parish of Biały Kamień, 1853.

from the village of Usznia, Roman Catholic parish of Biały Kamień, 1854.

 

Date of Birth Date of Baptism House No. Name Catholic? Sex Status Parents Occupation Godparents Occupation
8-Maji 8-Maji 166 Antonina Legitimi Joannes Pokutycki et Agnes Gulka filia Hyacinthi et Victoriae natae Gabryluk agricola Michael Borowski

Maria Gulka uxor Thomae
agricolae
8-May 8-May 166 Antonina Catholic Girl Legitimate Jan Pokutycki and
Agniszka Gulka daughter of Jacenty and Wiktoria nee Gabryluk
farmer Michał Borowski

Maria Gulka wife of Tomasz
farmers
Obst: Catharina Lechowska
Bapt: qui supra
Midwife: Katarzyna Lechowska
Baptized by: same as above (from previous entry not shown here)

 

Date of Death Date of Buried House No. Name of Deceased Catholic? Sex Age Cause of Death
12-Junii 14-Junii 166 Antonius Pokutycki filius Joannis et Agnetis natae Gulka agricolae 1 anni Morbile
12-June 14-June 166 Antoni Pokutycki son of Jan and Agnieszka nee Gulka, farmers Boy 1 year Measles
Sepel (abbreviation for "sepelivi": qui supra.
Buried by: same as above (from previous entry not shown here)

 

Another frequent mistake is when the priest references the grandparents and maiden names of mothers and grandmothers.  However, don't be quick to assume that a record is a mistake if it conflicts with your own data.  Keep an open mind to all possibilities.  In the case of different grandparents or maiden names, it could be that the person remarried and the priest wrote down the new surname.  Again, only a complete and thorough study of the parish register can provide the answers.

A possible method for verifying our data is referring both to the original record and the "bishop's copy".  (That is, if one is fortunate enough to have access to both versions.)

 

Missing names

By accident, the priest and/or scribe forgot to copy the names of the parents from the original record to this "Copia" <Latin>, also known as the "Bishop's Copy".

Date of Birth Date of Baptism House No. Name Religion? Sex Status

Parents

Godparents
and Occupation
Catholic/
Non-Catholic
Boy/Girl Legitimate/
Illegitimate
Father Mother Name
  6-Januarii 1 Bronislawa Marianna
/binom/
      Joannes Wacławek
hortulanus

Marianna Terlecka uxor Joannis economii Bilcensis
  6-January 1 Bronisława Marianna
(two names)
Catholic Girl Legitimate     Jan Wacławek
farmer

Marianna Terlecka, wife of Jan, steward of an Biłka Szlachecka estate
Bpt sub conditione
Andreas Prawdzikowski parochus
Baptized under condition
Andrzej Prawdzikowski, pastor

 

 

Triplets!

After many years of reviewing vital records, I finally came across a listing of triplets!  And amazingly enough, within 10 minutes of finding the first set of triplets, I actually discovered a SECOND set of triplets in the same parish!  (Unfortunately, birth records of the second set of triplets are not available at the time, so I only discovered the triplets through the death records.  See the last three entries from house number 14 in the second example below.)

from the village of Kniesioło, Roman Catholic parish of Podkamień, 1832.

 

 

 

from the village of Podkamień, Roman Catholic parish of Podkamień, 1842.

 

 

Repeating names for children

It was common for couples to name children after a previously deceased child.  Although this practice seems unthinkable today, do not rule out this possibility when studying records. 

In the examples below, the couple Szymon Kuzel and Rozalia Moscicka grieved over the death of their 4 year old son Kazimierz on April 22, then named their new baby Kazimierz, who was born on the following day, April 23.  Their first baby Kazimierz was buried on April 24.

Date of
Death
Date of
Burial
House
No.
Name of Deceased Religion Sex Age at Death Reason
for Death
22 Aprilis 24 Aprilils 126 Casimirus Kuzel filius Simonis figuli et Rosaliae Mościcka 4 annorum consumtio
22 April 24 April 126 Kazimierz Kuzel, son of Szymon the potter and Rozalia Mościcka 4 years consumption

 

Date of Birth Date of Baptism House No. Name Catholic? Sex Status Parents Occupation Godparents Occupation
23-Aprilis 23-Aprilis 126 Casimirus Legitimi Simon Kuzel filius Demetrii et Clarae Kądzielska

Rosalia filia Blasii Mościcki et Mariae Majewska
figulus Josephus Pokutycki

Anna Gabryluk uxor Michaelis
agricolae
23-April 23-April 126 Kazimierz Catholic Boy Legitimate Szymon Kuzel, son of Dmytro and Klara Kądzielska

Rozalia, daughter of Błaziej Mościcki and Maria Majewska
potter Józef Pokutycki

Anna Gabryluk, wife of Michał
farmers
Obst: Anastasia Baśladyńska
Baptisavit qui supra
Midwife: Anastasia Baśladyńska
Baptized by: same as above (from previous entry not shown here)

from the village of Usznia, Roman Catholic parish of Biały Kamień, 1867

 

Stillborns

 

Seq.
No.
Date of Birth Date of Baptism House No. Name Catholic? Sex Status Parents Occupation Godparents Occupation
14 15 15 22 Proles mortue nata Andreae Adamski et Mariae Borek
Agricolar.
        Sepelivit Vespilio
14 15 15 22 Deceased offspring born to Andrzej Adamski and Maria Borek, farmers         Buried in the evening??

from the village and Roman Catholic parish of Biłka Szlachecka, May 1884.

 

 

Date of Birth Date of Baptism House No. Name Catholic? Sex Status Parents Occupation Godparents Occupation
12-7bris -- 329 inanimatum factus filii Basilius Smal pater, et Irena filia Antonii Stefanowicz agricolae Podkamien mater murarius ex Podkamień O 0
12 July -- 329 lifeless Catholic Boy Legitimate father Vasyl Smal, and mother Irena daughter of Anton Stefanowicz, farmer from Pidkamin ?? O 0
Obstetrix: Anna Bohuk non approbata
Midwife: Anna Bohuk not approved

from the village and Greek Catholic parish of Pidkamin (Rohatyn district), 1840.

 

 

Date of Birth Date of Baptism House No. Name Catholic? Sex Status Parents Occupation Godparents Occupation
27 Novembris
1863
  169 mortuus natus Legitimi Petrus Herchaluk pater.
tatianna filia Lucae et Mariae Krawczuk agricolarum de Boratyn, mater
agricola de Podkamień O 0
27 November
1863
  169 born deceased Catholic Boy Legitimate father Petro Herchaluk,
mother tatianna daughter of Luka and Maria Krawczuk, farmers from Boratyn
farmers from Podkamień O 0
 
Seq.
No.
Date
of Death
Date of Burial House
No.
Name Religion Sex Age Cause of Death
25 28
Novembris
28
Novembris
169 mortuus natus filius Petri Herchaluk et Tatiannae Krawczuk agricolarum de Podkamień   o o
25 28
November
28
November
169 Born deceased, son of Petro Herchaluk and Tatianna Krawczuk, farmers from Pidkamin   Boz 0 0

from the village and Greek Catholic parish of Pidkamin, 1863.

 

 

 

Baptisms by Midwife

In the event of an emergency, the midwife (obstetrix in Latin) would baptize the infant "ex agua" ("from the waters").

 

Date of Birth Date of Baptism House No. Name Catholic? Sex Status Parents Occupation Godparents Occupation
4-Maii 4-Maii 6  + 4/5/904
Andreas
leg. Andreas Moroz fil. Clementis et Annae Kawałko.

Marianna Domańska fil. Antonii et Clarae Geża.
agric.
(agricola)
O  
4-May 4-May 6 (died 4 of May 1904)
Andrzej
Catholic Boy Legitimate Andrzej Moroz, son of Klement (Moroz) and Anna Kawałko (maiden name).

Marianna Domańska, daughter of Antoni (Domański) and Klara Geża (maiden name)
farmer O  
Obst: Catharina Moroz
ex agua baptisavit obstetrix
Midwife: Katarzyna Moroz
"of the water" baptized by the midwife

 

 

 

 

 

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