Question

Since my birth surname on my birth certificate isn't my biological history, shouldn't I delete Eiszele from my profile?

Answer 1

Hey Craig!

For your last name at birth you should put what is on your birth certificate. But then you can put the other last names you've used and what your current last name is.

Good luck, let me know if you have any more questions! :)

Comments

I just read your profile.

So you can list Eiszele as your "adoptive" father in a sense, on your profile if you wish. But since they put Eiszele on your birth certificate I would leave it as that.

Answer 2

I don't know... I could go either way. I can see pros and cons for both, and don't think its a clear, cut and dry choice.

Doctors don't generally test for paternity when filling out the birth certificate. They put what they've been told. And they can obviously be told wrong.

Ultimately, its your name and your decision. An explanation (as you've done already), is probably best, for future generational historians, since the record says one thing. You could, in fact, have your birth certificate legally altered to reflect the now known truth, if you wanted.

Comments

Craig, I share your predicament. I believe what would be helpful is a way to add "NPE" (Non-Parental Event) to the birth certificate names on our Wikitree profiles.  As another person pointed out, our Tree is dependent on paper trails for references/sources, and those of us with NPEs don't have the accurate information to go with our DNA. And, while we could legally change our names, there are other people who might be affected adversely by our decisions. It is frustrating, to say the least.