To ask how to prove that I’m of Irish descent?

[Thehop]

Apologies if I’m unreasonable asking on here but I’ve drawn a dead end with where else it could go.

I’ve been trying to be added to the Irish register of foreign births for some time. My fathers parents were both born in Ireland.

My father is now deceased.

The problem is my dad changed his surname. He was born with his family name “Jones” and changed it to my mothers name “Smith” before I was born. (They were unmarried then and she refused to give me his name so he had to take hers) they subsequently married.

This now leaves me with the man on my birth certificate not being the same name as the son of my grandparents and I’m at a loss how to prove that they are one and the same.

Can I please ask if anyone has any ideas, please?

I’m 40. I have half siblings (from my fathers first marriage) that are happy to help if they can. My mother won’t help at all, we have little contact and she doesn’t like me much. Thank you so much I’m advance.

Forgot to say this is the official place to get their marriage certificate from www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/ if they married in England/Wales

She’s been fun to chase through the archives

I’ll bet!

That’s quite an eye opener to me! Imagine there must have been so many others doing it and lots of unscrupulous types flying under the radar!

If your parents were unmarried at the time you were born, your nationality comes from your mother if I recall correctly. Is your dad listed on your birth certificate? If not, you might not be eligible to use your dad's parents to get a passport.

Foreign Births Register
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade maintains the Foreign Births Register where people who are eligible to become Irish citizens can register their birth. If you have a grandparent born in Ireland or if your parent was granted Irish citizenship or was deemed to be an Irish citizen before you were born, then you can apply to register in the Foreign Births Register – see ‘How to apply’ below.

If you are entitled to register, your Irish citizenship is effective from the date of registration. The Irish citizenship of successive generations may be maintained in this way by each generation ensuring their registration in the Foreign Births Register before the birth of the next generation.

www.citizensinformation.ie/en/moving_country/irish_citizenship/irish_citizenship_through_birth_or_descent.html#l97318

Ok, ignore that. Surprisingly liberal policy on citizenship by Ireland, but if the names don't match you are going to struggle.

Dad is on my birth certificate which shows them with the same name and of the same address, but they married when I was 6.

It’s a really good idea to get their marriage certificate. I’m online ordering a copy of that now, thank you.

I’ll also call the citizenship line at the embassy next week. I have Wednesday off so can call then.

It’s crazy how common this used to be. Just change a name, easy peasy!

So frustrating when you need a paper trail!

Thank you all so so much for replying. I really appreciate it. I have some great ideas to get on with thy I’d never have thought of.

@runoutofnamechanges you make an excellent point, I DO only have my short birth certificate!

I’ll get the long one ordered along with the wedding certificate. I don’t know their wedding date but I do know the year and venue so should be easy enough.

Thank you so much.

Apologies about the cockwomble. My exh was his cocknostril brother by the sounds of it 😂