Does anyone know or have any information as to why a baby would be registered by her father as his natural child and then state that the mother is unknown? What would be the reasoning for not stating the mother's name?
Usually the natural sons where born of unmarried couples, but still couples non the less, is usual that the mother would present the child but in some instances (specially when the mother did not recover well or at all from birth giving) the father would be the one taking the child to baptize, many people were really afraid (religiously) of saying that they were couple when they have no official marriage thus the "unknown" father or mother.
Another reason is when the child born out of an affair, depending of how willingly the father was, it would be him the one present at the baptism, mostly when the father want him to carry his last name, although it is less common you may find this once in while. Many "natural" people latter state in their marriages the names of both their parents and even with the "unknown" last name.
Posible reason
Usually the natural sons where born of unmarried couples, but still couples non the less, is usual that the mother would present the child but in some instances (specially when the mother did not recover well or at all from birth giving) the father would be the one taking the child to baptize, many people were really afraid (religiously) of saying that they were couple when they have no official marriage thus the "unknown" father or mother.
Another reason is when the child born out of an affair, depending of how willingly the father was, it would be him the one present at the baptism, mostly when the father want him to carry his last name, although it is less common you may find this once in while. Many "natural" people latter state in their marriages the names of both their parents and even with the "unknown" last name.
RJ Quiralte
Gracias
Gracias RJ! :)