I can imagine two circumstances which might lead to "uncertain father" -uantiti wrote:Barbara,
your adjustment cleared up some doubts on the family name but still I find it very unusual that they stated on a Marriage Act "D'Incerto padre" which means "of uncertain father".
a) an infant or toddler child is left orphaned by some catastrophe or perhaps war. The child is taken in and raised by another family or orphanage, but no one knows his/her parentage.
b) an unwed mother gives birth to a child and either refuses to name the father or cannot name the father with certainty (if the mother were a known prostitute, for example).
Hey, just a couple of guesses...