One in 10 brides opts to keep maiden surname

Ten per cent of women who got married last year decided to retain their maiden surname, according Public Registry figures seen by The Sunday Times of Malta. The figures show that out of the 3,537 women who wed last year, 391 kept their surname; the rest, 3,146, opted to take their husband’s family name according to tradition. Contrary to public perception, women are not becoming keener on embracing the feminist option. Rather, the number of women who adopt their husband’s name is actually going up. In 2011 the number of women who kept their surname was marginally higher than last year, with 12 per cent opting not to take their husband’s surname. In 2010 the figure stood at 12.5 per cent. Many women who started out with the intention of keeping their maiden surname felt they should adopt their husband’s when they had children to avoid confusion. Up to a couple of decades ago, a woman had no choice but to take on her husband’s surname. However, Chapter 16, Article 4 of the Civil Code states that a woman can opt to either: take her husband’s surname; retain her maiden surname; take her husband’s surname to which she may add her maiden’s surname; retain her maiden surname to which she...