Originally, when a child was born in Mecklenburg out of
wedlock it would receive the surname of the father, if he was known. In that
case, criminal charges were filed against his family.
On September 17, 1838, a law was given in
Mecklenburg-Schwerin, that the illegitimate child received the surname of the
mother if the birth was not followed by marriage of the actual parents. The name
of the child was recorded as "alleged" in the parish registers, if relying on
the mother's word. Even if the parents did get married, the child would still be
listed with the mother's name, because in most cases the subsequent marriage was
not noted by the pastor in the child's birth record. In general, the name of the
father was recorded up to the year 1860, after which time the practice gradually
came to a stop.
A law regarding surnames for illegitimate children was given
for the eastern part of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (the district of Stargard) on March
5, 1840, and on March 20, 1840 for the western part of Mecklenburg (the
principality of Ratzeburg). This law required that each illegitimate child has
to carry the mother's name, but the name of the father was also recorded, if he
admitted to being the father. Another order was given in 1844 which forbade the
pastor to give the child the father's name in the parish register unless the
birth of the child was followed by marriage. Illegitimate children of widows
carried the name of the deceased husband. After 1844 in Mecklenburg-Strelitz,
the name of the illegitimate father was no longer recorded in the parish
registers.
