Birth frequency..?

[MarcuccioV]

In researching my maternal ancestors, I have found in most cases most of the families had 4-8 children (occasionally more) at an average approximate birth frequency of about 2-3 years (often less) between births. This seems to be the general rule.

Then there is my GGf's family. According to death records, he would have been born in 1861 when his mother was 19, so I would assume he was the first child (records start in 1871). Based on birth/death records, I can only find 2 siblings -- a sister, born in 1868 (7 years later) who died in 1874 at the age of 6, and a brother who was born & died on the same day in 1875 (14 years after my GGf, 7 years after the sister).

There are NO other siblings in any records between 1871 & 1946. I even checked marriage records -- found a couple of cousins but no sibs.

Is this unusual for a birth frequency..? 7 years between children..? I suppose there could be miscarriages, but they would have to have been often (or deaths of young siblings in the 10 years before the records begin).

It just seems strange based on the birth rates for the rest of the family...

[darkerhorse]

I've seen all sorts of birth intervals in my family history. It's difficult to generalize.

[PippoM]

There was no birth control, but, also, there was no knowledge nor cures for conception difficulties. Children usually came "because God sends them", and when people had no children it was a source of social shame.

[darkerhorse]

Sometimes, long interval spacing indicates "unplanned" births.

[MarcuccioV]

All good points. It just seemed very unusual as it went against the trend. With his sibling's deaths, it made him the sole surviving child. I think he was the only ancestor that fit such a circumstance, even though stillbirths and childhood deaths were not unknown in the other branches...

He himself had 7 children (close together) with the only male being my grandfather (#4 of the 7).

[darkerhorse]

Not to mention the preference for male children.

[MarcuccioV]

Not to mention the preference for male children.

Yes, that was a cultural thing. Dowries were even based upon whether a male heir was born...