As far as I’m concerned, the practice of the ‘married name’ doesn’t apply anymore. Clara (married 1986), Claire (m1988), Katy (m1996), Katie Webb, Amanda etc ALL didn’t take their husband’s name.
Lizzie went double-barrelled.
Only Sarah Kafala took her husband’s name, because (I think) it’s more exotic than her surname. (I don’t know what…)
Other people – even when they had kids – chose not to get married at all.
End of story…
But in the country, it’s different. Chloe Chancellor, Laura Fawcett, Eva Shepherd – among Tattingstone parents – all, despite London origins, chose the traditional route.
And now, at the Heart Failure clinic on Friday, another generation. I happened to comment that the Heart Failure Specialist Nurse, Geraldine (a modern woman, 30s) had an interesting name, read off her name badge: Springett. She wasn’t enthusiastic. Tho her maiden surname was Polish and began with S (and she came from Scotland, natch) she took her husband’s name to avoid her father-in-law making a fuss (big in Halstead, apparently). She thought it sounded like a type of dog.
I turned to the other Heart Failure Specialist Nurse (30s). Surely Andrews was her maiden name?
No, she confessed, a little shamefacedly. She took her husband’s name as well.
What does this show us? Maybe that a more traditional sort of man lives in the country?
Maiden names
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Stroke of luck 