Genealogy Chat

Can first cousins marry???

I have found that Frank Daniel Pennock born 1874, married Mary Pennock, born 1877, in 1887.

Frank Daniel`s father was Matthew Pennock and Mary`s father was James Pennock, Matthew and James being brothers, all fwere rom the same area ie Rivenhall.

I have not found any other Mary Pennock that this date info would fit. I am unable to obtain ceertificates as the person I am researching for is in his late 80s.

Kathlyn

Yes cousins could marry back then as they still can now

Edit - Queen Victoria and Prince Albert were first cousins

jax

Though I've not come across it myself I have heard of it, though I don't know how common it was, I don't think it's ever been legal but I could be wrong.

Gypsyjoe

she would not have married when she was 10 ??

Marriages Sep 1897 (>99%)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Barker Alice Mary Braintree 4a 1135
Pennock Frank Daniel Braintree 4a 1135
Pennock Mary Braintree 4a 1135
SEARLES William Braintree 4a 1135

Name: Mary Pennock
Age: 24
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1877
Relation: Wife
Spouse's Name: Frank D Pennock
Gender: Female
Where born: Hatfield Peveral, Essex, England

Civil parish: Feering
Ecclesiastical parish: Feering All Saints
Town: Feering
County/Island: Essex
Country: England

Registration district: Braintree
Sub-registration district: Coggeshall
ED, institution, or vessel: 1
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 92
Piece: 1724
Folio: 11
Page Number: 13
Household Members: Name Age
Frank D Pennock 27
Mary Pennock 24
Eva M Pennock 2
Annie M Pennock 1
Frederick P Pennock 7 Months

1881

Name: Mary Pennock
Age: 4
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1877
Relation: Daughter
Father's name: James Pennock
Mother's name: Eliza Pennock
Gender: Female
Where born: Hatfield Peverel, Essex, England

Civil parish: Hatfield Peverel
County/Island: Essex
Country: England

Street Address: Nounsley
Education:

Employment status: View image
Occupation: Scholar

Registration district: Braintree
Sub-registration district: Witham
ED, institution, or vessel: 8
Neighbors: View others on page
Piece: 1809
Folio: 113
Page Number: 14
Household Members: Name Age
James Pennock 36
Eliza Pennock 36
Alice Pennock 10
Eliza Pennock 9
Jane Pennock 8
Arthur Pennock 6
Mary Pennock 4
Alfred Burton 38

I googled it which is the best thing to do if you are not sure

Cousin marriageFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaJump to: navigation, search
Cousin marriage is marriage between two cousins. In various jurisdictions and cultures, such marriages range from being considered ideal and actively encouraged, to being uncommon but still legal, to being seen as incest and legally prohibited.

Such marriages are often highly stigmatized today in the West,[1] but marriages between first and second cousins nevertheless account for over 10% of marriages worldwide.[2] They are particularly common in the Middle East, where in some nations they account for over half of all marriages.[3]

Only particular kinds of cousin marriage have been allowed in many cultures, such as between cross cousins.[4] Cousin marriage has also featured prominently in the field of anthropology, notably in alliance theory.[5]

Supporters of accepting or legalizing first-cousin marriage today may view its genetic risk to offspring as small, compare bans on it to anti-miscegenation laws, or view them as discrimination or eugenics.[1][6][7] Opponents may view the increased genetic risk as large, possibly when such marriages are repeated over many generations, and focus on their potential lack of social approval.[2][8][9]

Oooppps,

Sorry, my finger missed a letter and the date of marriage should be 1897.

A cousin of my father married a cousin (different side of the family); she was past child-bearing age so maybe this was why it was "okay'd".

not sure why you think you cannot get certificates Kathryn. They are available to anyone for that era.

Think it could be the cost involved for the person in question Ann

jax

Yep! I've got 1st Cousins marrying in my tree!!

Julia (In Cambs)

I did wonder if that could be the reason Jax but thought it worth asking as some people seem think they have to be direct relations to apply for a certificate in all cases not just in the very recent ones.

They wer'nt from Royston were they Julia :D ?

jax

Hi Jax,

No my lot were from up north!!

Julia (In Cambs)

Oh

Thats ok then...I just know Royston and the surounding villiages quite well

jax

I have first cousins in my tree who married in 1778. I don't think it was that uncommon - I'm sure I have seen in the past fellow Genes members with the problem of how (on the Genes Tree only) to display the relationships of their children!

I think that abt 3% of marrs in England were between 1st cousins.

hello

ii have 2 first female cousins that married 2 first male cousins

so they both had the same maiden name as well as the sirname

sally w

Sally,

I can top that: I also have female first cousins marrying male first cousins but then the child of one pair married a child of the other pair thus creating double cousins; but it doesn't stop there since their son married his first cousin. So there is cousin marriage in three successive generations.

Peter

My grandparents were first cousins.

His uncle was his father in law and her aunt her mother in law. The tree goes out and then goes in again.

I have rellies marrying rellies everywhere in my tree - Just about gives the relationship calculator in some programmes a hernia.

Then there is spouse a) dies and so they marry the next brother or sister in the same family who may have also been married before. Children that were cousins then become half sisters etc.

Bit like a plate full of spaghetti rather than a tree.

Goes off humming the tune from Deliverance.

Persie