So many children over a long period....

montgo

Hi,

I am researching a family who according to Roots Ireland had at least 14 children between 1831 & 1859 but with some gaps which might suggest further pregnancies.... No records for any children between 1846 & 1854 (famine?) and then 3 more until 1859. Many of these children died in infancy.

Obviously, large families were not unusual back then and maybe having children over a 30 year period was not so rare either?

Has there been any detailed research done on average family size through the decades and how did families cope? This particular family were farmers, so probably would have an adequate sized house with a domestic servant to help out.

Any comments?

Waitsian

montgo wrote: »

Hi,

I am researching a family who according to Roots Ireland had at least 14 children between 1831 & 1859 but with some gaps which might suggest further pregnancies.... No records for any children between 1846 & 1854 (famine?) and then 3 more until 1859. Many of these children died in infancy.

Obviously, large families were not unusual back then and maybe having children over a 30 year period was not so rare either?

Has there been any detailed research done on average family size through the decades and how did families cope? This particular family were farmers, so probably would have an adequate sized house with a domestic servant to help out.

Any comments?

Hello montgo.

Large families were historically very common in Ireland. 14 in 28 years (according to your dates) is not unusual at all. My own grandmother (born in 1904) had 12 (2 died young). Even 2 of my aunts had 10 each! Much rarer now of course. One of my great great grandfathers fathered 21 children from the 1840s to the 1880s - he was widowed twice. 12 to the first wife, 3 to the second, and 6 to the third.

A woman married in her early to mid teens could definitely have had children over a 30 year span, absolutely. Contraception was unavailable and under strict religious rules was not allowed anyway. I suppose they coped as best they could.

I wouldn't put that gap down to the Great Hunger years necessarily. She could have miscarried or been ill, or they were separated due to any number of circumstances, or there is simply a gap in the paper records ie they're missing or weren't recorded.

montgo

thanks Mod9maple for your reply.

Most of my ancestors came from large families and even my brother in law is one of 13! It just seems that the women at that time were pregnant for most of their adult lives.