Based on my knowledge of Mexican history and family history, I can fully
understand the confusion caused by the terms ¨hijo legítimo¨ and ¨hijo
natural¨. As of 1859, it was mandated by Mexican law that all marriages,
births and deaths must be first registered with the civil authorities (Registro
Civil).
In the case of a marriage, this meant the civil registration ad to take place
prior to the religous ceremony, commonly referred to as ¨las dos leyes¨.
For various reasons, the religous ceremony was/may be postponed by
days, weeks, monhs or years.
Eventhough the civil ceremony had taken place, any children born prior
to the religous ceremony were idntified as ¨hijos naturales¨ in church
records. At such time as the religous ceremony took place, the
margin of the baptismal entry was annoted ¨hijo legítimo¨.
George
.
> Message: 3
> Date: Thu, 10 Aug 2006 22:48:31 -0700 (PDT)
> From: Leticia
> Subject: [Nuestros Ranchos] Help
> To: research@lists.nuestrosranchos.org
> Message-ID:
>
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>
>
> Can someone help me out with the following.
> I am having a hard time reading a birth certificatea from mid 1800's, I
> was under the assumption "hijo Natural" is a child born to a single mom!
>
> what is the difference between:
>
> Hijo Legitimo de - to - Hijo natural de
> on both terms parents are listed as a couple.
> In other cases the name of the baptised is listed followed by the term
> "Natural"
> and then the name of the parents.
>
> Help, Letty
Thanks George: Hijos Naturales y Legítimos
Thanks George. . .I appreciate your participation in the group. The
times you've given answers they always come out clear and to the point.
Thanks for adding to the discussion. [Now don't lets everyone else jump
to any conclusions. . .the other replies on this thread have been good
as well, just making a comment on what I've noticed from past
participation].
joseph
George Hoge wrote:
>Based on my knowledge of Mexican history and family history, I can fully
>understand the confusion caused by the terms ¨hijo legítimo¨ and ¨hijo
>natural¨. As of 1859, it was mandated by Mexican law that all marriages,
>births and deaths must be first registered with the civil authorities (Registro
>Civil).
>
>In the case of a marriage, this meant the civil registration ad to take place
>prior to the religous ceremony, commonly referred to as ¨las dos leyes¨.
>For various reasons, the religous ceremony was/may be postponed by
>days, weeks, monhs or years.
>
>Eventhough the civil ceremony had taken place, any children born prior
>to the religous ceremony were idntified as ¨hijos naturales¨ in church
>records. At such time as the religous ceremony took place, the
>margin of the baptismal entry was annoted ¨hijo legítimo¨.
>
>George
>.
>
>
>
>
>
Hijos Naturales y Legítimos
Thank you George, this makes a lot of sense, Now I know why they used the
two different terms. Letty