Legal Definitions - incerto patre

incerto patre

When a child is born from a father who is unknown, they are said to be "incerto patre". This term is used to describe illegitimate children.

• John was born to a mother who never revealed the identity of his father. He was considered an "incerto patre" child.
• During the Middle Ages, children born out of wedlock were often labeled as "incerto patre".

The examples illustrate that "incerto patre" is used to describe children whose fathers are unknown. This term was commonly used in the past to label illegitimate children.