How can I follow the Pellew surname back for a bastard born ancestor?

Question

Wikitree - https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Mallett-275

Jane's christening record says she was born a bastard in St Winnow parish, Cornwall, in 1829. But I know that the Pellew name is significant. Her mothers name was Mary. Is there anyway I can track Mary back to parents with a Pellew surname? I already found one family that might be correct - but have no way to prove it.

Answer 1

A fairly common occurrence is to give the baby the father's surname as a middle name, especially if he was refusing to pay any support!  So 'Pellew' may not have anything to do with the mother.  It might be the putative father's name!

But that's just a thought.

Comments

Thanks Ros.This gets more complicated because there is a father listed on Jane's  BC, but he is not a Pellew. He was also listed as a Publican - this being in 1829 when Jane was born. I only found one man of the right name in Cornwall, who was still a publican in 1841. As it turns out, he was actually already married at the time of Janes conception, which could explain the lack of support.

Would young unwed mothers have lied and actually used just any name for the father on the bastard child's BC back in the early 1800s?