General Chat

I don't agree with the tradition of taking the husband's name upon marriage because I believe that the name we were given at birth is our given name, and should remain with us until death, and that children should carry the name of their father OR mother.
But that's just my opinion :-)

So, with that in mind, I don't see anything wrong in gay couples keeping their own names, makes more sense than having 2 Mr Smiths, or 2 Mrs Smiths, married to each other. Think of the confusion when the post drops through their letter box!!!

I use the title Ms. I have done for donkeys years, both when I was single and since I've been married, because I don't like the label of Miss or a Mrs.
I am Ms (my own/maiden name) whilst I am married to Mr (his own/maiden name) :-D :-0 and it's never caused us any problem. He has a good laugh when people who only know me eventually meet him, and call him by my surname! :-D 'tis only natural I suppose.

Probably dates back to when women were owned and considered property by their husbands so others would know that she is already taken, after all men were never owned by anyone so no need to indicate that they are married, IMHO anyway.

Mrs actually comes from Mistress .......... which at one time was the honorific given to a woman who had reached the age of maturity.

This could mean a married woman OR a single lady

Servants and tradesmen, for example, would call the lady of the house "Mistress", no matter her marital status.


Having said that ......................

I am traditional in that I took my OH's name and am called Mrs

................... we have been married 47 years, and there really wasn't all that many women who didn't do that.

Later, I would have liked an option to do things differently ..................... among other things, my maiden surname has now died out.

I really really don't like Ms .........................although I don't see why men are not designated as married by a change in title :-)

Frederick?

Yes,?????????? What.?????????

My daughter and son in law are married but each has kept the name they had.

Ah, Frederick, there you are! :-D

From 'about.com'

The practice of carrying the husband's surname is prevalent in most English-speaking countries, including the U.S., U.K., Australia, Canada and the Philippines. The ancient tradition is rooted in Christian tenets, which teach men that it is the father's duty to provide for and protect his daughter until she is strong enough to start her own family, which then becomes the responsibility of another man. The traditions of the wife taking the husband's last name and the father walking the bride down the aisle both stem from these religious principles.

While women still have a choice in the U.S, Japanese brides are obligated to take their husband's name so they can belong to the same koseki (house).
Since 1975, women in Italy have been prohibited from changing their last names, and brides in Quebec, Canada, must undergo the same lengthy procedures that any other citizen would encounter if they wish to change their name. They must also have a reason, other than marriage, for the court to grant permission, such as their maiden name inviting ridicule or being too hard to pronounce. Chile, France, Malaysia and the Netherlands have enacted similar laws.
Joining the women in South Korea and Cambodia, most Muslim wives keep their surnames after the wedding and their children inherit their father's name.



But the article doesn't address Frederick's original question :-0