Hello again Bob,

It occurred to me after I wrote my last message about the Boyd family from German who had their nephew / grandson Robert Christian living with the two sisters Catherine Boyd, spinster, and Margaret Boyd (widow, married name Barr), that Margaret could possibly be the mother of Robert Christian who was baptised as the son of Margaret Barr, rather than her daughter Margaret. She was 55 in the 1851 census when Robert was aged 4, so it is just possible.
If this was the case then whoever entered the details in his death cert was correct - his mother was indeed Margaret, maiden name Boyd. And as he was known as Robert Christian, his father's surname was Christian.
As previously mentioned illegitimate children in the IoM were usually known by their father's surname.

I still think that Margaret Boyd/Barr's daughter Margaret who was also living in the household was more likely to be his mother, and that he might have thought that her maiden name was Boyd like his gt aunt and grandmother.

Sue