Daily Ancestorin necessitate
In necessitate is Latin for in case of necessity; in a baptism entry it marks an emergency baptism, often by the midwife, because the baby might die.
In necessitate means in necessity. Church law allowed anyone, not only a priest, to baptize a person in danger of death, and over the centuries midwives were expected to be able to do it.
An entry may say the child was baptized at home in necessitate by the obstetrix (midwife). Such a baptism was given because death seemed near, so look for a burial entry soon after.
As seen in a recordLatin baptism register, 1780s
Baptizatus in necessitate ab obstetrice approbata Anna Huber
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Daily Ancestor. "in necessitate." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/latin/in-necessitate. Last checked 2026-10-10.