Why does a women have to change their "title" to Mrs when they marry but men are called Mr regardless?

Question

I've always wondered why you go from Miss or Ms to Mrs when you marry.

Who on earth thought of that?? For some reason I get the feeling it was a man.

Answer 1

In the UK you don't HAVE to take your husband's name... it is a courtesy thing that's all... few females knew about this in my young day.

It is perfectly OK to continue using your own name, and with the hindsight of two marriages... I'd advise you do;-)

Answer 2

Traditionally, the title "Mrs" was used only with the husband's full name: for example, "Mrs Joe Bloggs", for a married woman.

Since the term Mr does not indicate whether a man is married or not, many feminists believed that a woman's title should not indicate marital status either. For this reason, the title Ms was advocated as an equivalent to Mr, particularly in business usage. A few married women choose to forgo the use of "Mrs", particularly in professional life, even those who choose to take their husband's name. Instead, these women use "Ms" However, "Mrs" remains a popular title.

Answer 3

I'm not sure but my thought on this is, men have always been the aggressor in a relationship or courting and the title Miss or Mrs lets them know the availability of the woman. That could be why they now have the designation of "Ms" which is either for married or single.

Answer 4

Because your name changes and it's to show that it's your married name...

Ms. Smith marries Mr. Jones

She goes from Ms. Smith to Mrs. Jones. So clearly she is married and she is Mrs. John Jones. It's a traditional symbol of the males position over the female.

Answer 5

To simplify the answers above, Mr and Mrs are abbreviations of Mister and Mistress. In Victorian times a single lady's title was Miss. When she married she became Mistress (Mrs), feminine form of Mister (Mr) -
ie Miss Jones married Mister or Mr Smith and became Mistress or Mrs Smith

Answer 6

I see that someone gave a really good explanation of it earlier. In my opinion, I think it was a territorial thing. Just as most women today have engagement rings while the men don't. And it's only until marriage that a man is to wear a ring. It's mainly to show other men, that they're woman is off the market.

Answer 7

I imagine it goes back to the days of old when women had to marry to be protected from other men, by becoming a Mrs it was known you were married and unavailable.

Answer 8

you don't have to change your name or title it's your decision ultimately. my wife kept her original last name. she answers to miss, ms., or mrs. it seems like a lot of people just say ms. because it covers everything just like mr. in the old days men made all the rules, regardless of what women wanted.

Answer 9

Mrs (or Mrs. (US usage)), is a title used for women, usually married women. The pronunciation varies regionally but is usually Missiz or Missus. It is rarely spelt out; one variant, in the works of Thomas Hardy and others, is "Mis'ess".

In the United Kingdom, most Commonwealth countries, and Ireland, a full stop (in the U.S. a "period") does not usually follow the abbreviated form: "I saw Mrs Price at the office talking to Mr Brown."

Mrs originated as a contraction of the title "Mistress", the feminine of "Mister" or "Master", which was originally applied to both married and unmarried women. The title split into "Mrs" for married women and "Miss" for unmarried women during the 17th Century.
The separation of Miss and Mrs became problematic as women entered the workforce following industrialization. Women who became famous or well known in their professional circles before marriage often kept their birth names, stage names or noms de plume. Miss became a default title for celebrities (Miss Helen Hayes, Miss Amelia Earhart) but this also proved problematic, as when a married woman did use her husband’s name but was still referred to as ‘Miss’. See more at Miss and Ms..

'Mrs' is only used with a woman's maiden name in limited circumstances. Before social mores relaxed to the point where single women with children were socially acceptable, the "unwed mother" was often advised by etiquette mavens like Elizabeth Post to use 'Mrs' with her maiden name as a subterfuge to make life easier for herself and her child. The use of 'Mrs' as a default for all women is occasionally employed following the custom of European countries (see below).

Since the term Mr does not indicate whether a man is married or not, many feminists believed that a woman's title should not indicate marital status either. For this reason, the title Ms was advocated as an equivalent to Mr, particularly in business usage. A few married women choose to forgo the use of "Mrs", particularly in professional life, even those who choose to take their husband's name. Instead, these women use "Ms" However, "Mrs" remains a popular title.

In several other European languages, the title used for married women, such as Madame, Señora, Bean(-uasal), Signora, or Frau, is the direct feminine equivalent of the title used for men; the title for unmarried women is a diminutive: Mademoiselle, Señorita, Maighdeann(-uasal), Signorina or Fräulein. For this reason, usage has shifted towards using the married title as the default for all women in professional usage. This has occasionally been followed in England, for example, royal nannies have been called "Mrs" as a mark of respect.

Answer 10

It's an honor to have his last name.. you're his wife after all.. or do you think that by having his last name, it somehow diminishes who you are? Think of it this way.. maybe by you becoming his wife, you are also giving him the honor of being your husband..
If you don't how last name, then please, don't marry him.. If you can't honor that tradition, what other tradition of marriage won't you be able to honor...

Get a reality check here hun.. seems you want the world to be centered on you.. marriage is a partnership.. the man is to be the head of the household.. otherwise, stay single

Answer 11

I`m not called Mr regardless.