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Marrying your first cousin was perfectly acceptable in the early 1800s, and the practice certainly offered some benefits: Wealth and property were more likely to remain in the same hands, and it was easier for young women to meet and be courted by bachelors within the family circle.
The Victorian era saw a rise in awareness of birth defects associated with reproduction among relatives. Cousin marriages remained popular among the upper class, however. Charles Darwin married his first cousin Emma Wedgwood, for instance, and Queen Victoria and Prince Albert were themselves first cousins. https://www.history.com/.amp/news/5-...-didnt-do-much
I have been researching family history in Prizzi, Sicily. There seems to be many marriages between cousins. Was that the norm in the 1800’s?
In small Italian towns? Yes, very much so. It was less common in more populated areas. In small towns, it was just inevitable - there were limited options and it would be impossible to not marry someone you're related to somehow, even if distantly.
Yes it is very common, especially in ethnic groups that are geographically separated like French-Canadians and Ashkenazi Jews. My family tree has many examples of second and third cousins marrying during that time period and before. What also appears to be common is double marriages between families, i.e. two Smith sisters marrying two Johnson brothers.
Yes it is very common, especially in ethnic groups that are geographically separated like French-Canadians and Ashkenazi Jews. My family tree has many examples of second and third cousins marrying during that time period and before. What also appears to be common is double marriages between families, i.e. two Smith sisters marrying two Johnson brothers.
I can out do that one. I have 4 sisters marrying 4 brothers in a tiny shtetl in Galicia circa 1900. That is one complex family tree. LOL
What also appears to be common is double marriages between families, i.e. two Smith sisters marrying two Johnson brothers.
One such situation of brothers marrying sisters helped me break down a brick wall when I noticed the similarity of the sisters' maiden names, one of which was misspelled literally everywhere.
In 2000, my state almost banned marriage between first cousins. According to wikepedia there are another 18 states that still permit first cousin marriages. I guess that's a fact that should be kept in mind when searching for ancestors in those states.
Bothy mum and dad's people were originally from Ireland.
She was able to trace Mum's family back only about 100 years, to county Galway.
A bit more luck with dad's people; from the ship's manifest. Dad's people arrived from county Clare ,as free settlers in 1870.(the free colony founded in 1836) No Convicts in MY family! Was a time that boast was important in parts of Oz.I remember it was a source of family pride when I was a gossoon.
Sis traced the family back 300 years, to County Clare .Today there are the ruins of a village with the family name 'bally----' . By 'ruins' I mean one wall of a church, and an overgrown graveyard. That would almost certainly be worth some time.
According to sis, the family actually originated in Galway, and the name and derivatives are about 1000 years old. I'm a bit skeptical about that claim, as I haven't actually seen her research . A nice fantasy though..
Oh, of course, the family is related to 'the kings of Ireland'. From what I understand, most Irishmen make the same claim- The link below is to an article about the high kings of Ireland.They were apparently numerous
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