A maiden name is the surname a person, most often a woman, carried before marriage, while a married name is a family name or surname adopted upon marriage. In some countries and cultures, when a person assumes the family name of their spouse, that name replaces the persons previous surname entirely, though the practice and its legal treatment vary widely by place and era. This description is adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes were made. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
Sources
Maiden and married names (Wikipedia)
Lead sectionQuote, Lead section
When a person (traditionally the wife in many cultures) assumes the family name of their spouse, in some countries and cultures that name replaces the person's previous surname, which in the case of the wife is called the maiden name ("birth name" is also used as a gender-neutral or masculine substitute for maiden name), whereas a married name is a family name or surname adopted upon marriage.
Reader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.
Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.