Between honor and safeguarding the family. Secret baptisms and illegitimacy in the town of Tlaltenango, Puebla in the first half of the 20th century

Abstract

The study analyzed illegitimacy and secrecy in the family structure of Mexico during the first half of the 20th century, emphasizing its influence on baptismal records. It explored the role of the Church in preserving honor and social cohesion, even after the creation of the Civil Registry in 1857. In Tlaltenango, Puebla, a “Book of Secret Baptisms (1902-1919)” was found, an unusual source that reflected strategies to hide illegitimate births and protect the reputation of families.
Analysis of 1430 baptismal records showed that 286 corresponded to secret baptisms, representing almost a quarter of births in the period. An increase in the records was observed from 1916 to 1918, coinciding with the Mexican Revolution and the Spanish flu, events that altered population dynamics. Paternal absence became recurrent in the records, which could be related to the war and the health crisis.
The study also revealed that the secrecy of baptisms derived from factors such as illegitimacy, incestuous relationships and the violence of the Revolution. The parish priest Manuel Solar used these records as a mechanism to avoid scandal and protect single mothers. Finally, the article concluded that these secret baptisms reflected changes in Mexican morality and social structure, evidencing an ongoing process of secularization.