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I applied for my adoption records here in Canada because I need the papers for some passport stuff.

I still talk with my biological father, but I was officially adopted by my mother's new husband when I was 10. My biological mother has always been my mother.

I still remember my original birth certificate "Tom Jones". Due to the adoption, my last name officially changed to "Tom Thumb".

What's interesting is that from that point on whenever I would order a birth certificate, the certificate I got always had my new name of "Tom Thumb". Never again would I see my original birth certificate with "Tom Jones" even though I still talk with my biological father and my biological mother has always been my mother.

This is not a problem because these days you can apply for your adoption records and you can receive an uncertified copy of the registered adoption and an uncertified copy of the original birth registration.

I received the two documents this week however this "original birth registration" is very odd. It looks like a NEW Statement of Birth that was filled out by my mother at the time of adoption because in her own handwriting she put my name as "Tom (Jones) Thumb". That's simply what she decided to fill in.

No problem, however why did they not send my original statement of birth registration that has my original name at birth "Tom Jones"?

In fact, up until I was about 10 I remember seeing my original birth certificate with "Tom Jones". So I know that original certificate must exist.

**Lastly, If it came from the provincial office why would it be uncertified in the first place? Why didn't they send a certified copy?

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    Not impossible that it was policy to destroy the original when there was an adoption since adoptions used to be predominantly closed adoptions. Also possible that the "Tom (Jones) Thumb" record was created because the prior one couldn't be located at the time it was needed. Was your mom married to Mr. Thumb when you were born? If so, the adoption wasn't actually needed.
    – ohwilleke
    Commented Jul 2, 2019 at 2:35

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I can’t speak to your specific circumstances but an “original” birth certificate is one issued by the government authority and a new “original” certificate is generated from the register each time you request one. It is not original in the sense that it is the first, unique certificate.

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  • Hi. Of course it's not THE original from birth. In this case original means genuine not the first. Also there is a distinction between birth registration aka (statement of birth) and birth certificate. What they sent me was the uncertified copy of the original birth registration. They did *not send me a birth certificate. The birth certificate I once was holding in my hands many years ago before I was adopted by my stepfather. What I would like is a copy certified/uncertified of my original birth certificate (before my adoption).
    – Edison
    Commented Jun 1, 2019 at 2:05
  • @tem I don't understand. At least in England and Wales "a birth certificate" is a certified copy of the birth registration, what else do you want?
    – Martin Bonner supports Monica
    Commented Jul 1, 2019 at 13:49
  • @MartinBonnersupportsMonica you can make photocopies of birth certificates.
    – RonJohn
    Commented Aug 11, 2023 at 18:31

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