Daily AncestorBase-born
Base-born means born to unmarried parents, an older word for illegitimate found in church registers and court records.
Base-born, also baseborn, marked a child born out of wedlock. Clergy and clerks used it in baptism registers and bastardy cases. It could also mean of lowly birth, but in vital records the illegitimate sense is usual.
A base-born entry often names only the mother. Look for a bastardy bond or court case, which may name the reputed father.
As seen in a recordParish baptism register, 1700s
Bapt. Mary, base-born dau. of Sarah Dale, singlewoman.
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Daily Ancestor. "Base-born." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/relationships/base-born. Last checked 2026-10-01.