“Was My Ancestor an Orphan?” Understanding Guardianship in Genealogy
Who is considered an orphan? Someone with no living parents? Not until the late 1800s. In this article we'll explain what guardianship really means.Genealogists may encounter references to orphans in guardianship or probate records. However, researchers shouldn’t assume both parents were deceased. Those who had lost only one parent, especially a father, were termed “social orphans.” In colonial times, children were considered assets in which their fathers had property rights. Widows could even lose their children to a guardian named by their father in his will.What Does Guardianship Really Mean?Many times, a guardian’s responsibility focused more on an orphan’s property than on the orphan herself or himself. Guardianship had little to do with physical custody of the child. Its primary purpose was to manage the orphan’s estate, preserve any inherited property, and use the estate for maintenance and education of the child until he was old enough to manage it. The guardian was …
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