Where is his birth certificate?

Question

My boyfriend found out a few years ago that he was a twin- his parents didn't tell him. His twin died at birth. He is upset by all of this understandably and wants to know more, although there are no death, birth or registration records of this ever happening. How can he get answers?

Answer 1

Firstly ,best to ask his parents for first hand information.

Secondly get your boyfriends birth certificate this will have details of where he was born (which district) and date of birth surname etc hospital born in etc.

Write to the register of marriages and deaths for that district and request a search and copy of other birth certificate and or death certificate of sibling this should be available for a small fee.

Answer 2

You don't mention (1) how old your boyfriend is (2) where you live or (3) from WHO  did he get this information?

A child who died at birth DOES have a death certificate. This, I can guarantee from personal experience.  Your statement that there "is no record" is probably incorrect.. birth/death certificates from recent years (recent in genealogy means 50-100 yrs) are not always open to the public, and certainly not guaranteed to be online.  Don't confuse "can't find it online" to mean that it does not exist.  If he is a minor, he does not have authority to access these records.

If his parents did not tell him.. then he actually DOES NOT KNOW this to be a fact.  The source of the info would have to be pretty darned reliable (grandparent, so forth).  I really cannot think of any reason why his parents would be unwilling to tell him the truth, if he asked.  If they deny it.. I personally would believe what THEY say, over someone else.

edit-

David is not correct, a minor cannot order such a certificate without consent of the parent.

As for being upset.. stop and think.. there REALLY is nothing to hide or BE upset about.  It is SAD when such things happen.. but nothing is solved by hiding it.  MOST mothers want their children acknowledged, even when they die at birth.  Again, I speak for personal knowledge.

Answer 3

The same happened to me. I think the parents got rid of the info to keep it a secret, they wouldn't want him to get more upset.

Answer 4

Maybe his parents distroyed it.

Answer 5

Stuff like this HAS to be recorded legally. Try http://www.v1g.org they have sooo many possible records you can search once you sign up that will give him a lot of answers.