mystery of baptising orphans in Liverpool

[karen murphy]

Hi everyone
Have just come across the following 'mystery' when searching through Liverpool Catholic baptism registers and wonder if anyone else has seen the same? and if so, if they can explain it?

In the register the children have one surname, and yet all the parents have different surnames. For example, a child called Bridget Milligan, parents are Thomas Brown and Bridget Brown. Another one - child James Murphy, parents are Aroli Fox and Catherine Fox. I have attached a page from St Josephs register in 1861 and you'll see that virtually every entry on the page is the same scenario.

I have also come across this in St Josephs for different years and also in registers in Holy Cross.

The only possible explanation I could come up with was maybe orphans but that doesn't seem to fit quite right (but can't think of anything else!). My reasons for doubt is that surely there wouldn't be that many orphans being baptised in one go? and also you would expect orphans to be older when 'homed' and yet if you look at the first entry on the attached register, the baby was only 3 days old when baptised.

If anyone has got any ideas or thoughts on why the register might be like this, I would be really really grateful!
cheers Karen