Researching: Women Who Kept Maiden Names?

 

   

Women and Their Maiden Names

The idea that women universally adopted their husband’s surname only became more rigidly enforced in certain cultures over time. However, historical records prove that women have kept their maiden names for centuries, whether due to legal necessity, cultural tradition, or professional identity.

In 1866 the above article now as written Keeping Their Maiden Names in Addition to the Husbands' Surname, but know that evidence shows that this practice existed well before 1866.

When and Where?

Colonial America and the 18th Century

• Puritan and Legal Traditions. In Puritan New England, some women retained their maiden names in legal documents, wills, and property records. For example, Anne Bradstreet (1612–1672), the first published poet of colonial America, was often referred to by her maiden name in records and literary circles.
• Quaker Women and Gender Equality. Quakers, known for their progressive views on gender equality, frequently allowed women to retain their maiden names. Mary Dyer (c. 1611–1660), a Quaker martyr, was often referred to by her birth surname in historical records. Quaker women involved in business or land transactions also maintained their birth names in official documents.

Scotland, France, and Early American Women
In Scotland and France, it was customary for women to retain their maiden names legally, even after marriage. This tradition carried over to French and Scottish-descended women in colonial America and Canada.

• In America, women like Mercy Otis Warren (1728–1814), an influential writer and historian of the American Revolution, used their maiden names publicly and professionally. 
• Many women involved in business also continued to use their birth surnames in trade records and property agreements.

Legal and Property Rights (1700s-1800s)

San Francisco Bulletin

Tue, Oct 04, 1927 ·Page 11

• Legal records from the 18th and 19th centuries frequently show women keeping their maiden names in cases related to land ownership, inheritance, and business dealings. 
• In some Southern states, married women retained their maiden names in property records to clarify ownership, particularly in cases where they inherited land from their birth families.

Newspaper Mentions and Articles

Bryan-College Station Eagle

Bryan, Texas

Wed, Feb 12, 1896 · Page 2

• The Liberator (1830s-1860s) – This abolitionist newspaper frequently mentioned women activists, some of whom retained their maiden names. Women like Lydia Maria Child were often referred to by their birth names in advocacy work.

• The New-York Tribune (1850s) – Articles from this period show that women in business and publishing sometimes kept their maiden names to maintain recognition in their professions.

• Marriage and Legal Notices in 18th- and 19th-Century Newspapers

• Many marriage announcements list women by both maiden and married names, indicating the ongoing use of birth surnames in public records.

Happy Women's History Month

Kathleen Brandt