My husband was talking about this with our 12 yr. old grandaughter, when, she asked this question!! We were flabbergasted! Out of the mouth of babes. Help!!!
2006-08-20 17:15:25 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Other - Society & Culture
Well traditionally the son is the one that passes on the surname. This started a long time ago and it still is practiced to this day.
But today is the future and the past of tomorrow. Now the couple can pass on whichever name they choose whether it be the wife or the husbands is up to them. I am the only son that my dad has and I would like to pass my name on down the line to the next generation. Eventually though, not in the near future, I believe all the surnames will become one and we won't have to worry about it.
2006-08-20 17:30:18 · answer #1 · answered by Thomas 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
This is a cultural tradition. In other cultures inheritance or clan membership passes through the mother. Some people have hyphenated names, but that just shows a sort of affectation.
I have researched my family history and the maiden names have just as much importance as my father's name. It's through mothers names that my most interesting connections have occurred. My mother is the cousin 11 times removed of Ben Franklin's mother.
2006-08-21 00:20:32 · answer #2 · answered by Woody 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I am a daughter who passed on a surname. Here's how I did it. I got pregnant out of wedlock and chose not to marry my baby's father. I gave my daughter my last name.
Later, I married, but my daughter kept my maiden name. Then, when my son was born, I passed on my surname again to him as his third name (he has four names, total). Now, both my kids have my maiden name as a part of their names.
This has turned out to be a good thing, because my only brother died before ever having children of his own.
2006-08-21 00:24:55 · answer #3 · answered by Ifeelyourpain 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
In the olden days, the woman adopting her husband's surname was a sign of ownership, which is why many women now keep their maiden names. The children also belonged to the man of the house. It was like labelling your posessions. Now, it's more a matter of tradition. However, I do recall reading about a man in Washington state (I think) who adopted his wife's last name.
2006-08-21 00:23:34 · answer #4 · answered by me41987 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Because of tradition. The females take the last name of their husbands when they are married; therefore, no longer carrying their own surname.
2006-08-21 00:22:23 · answer #5 · answered by ♥M.a.s.q.u.e.r.a.d.e.™ 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Simply because we live in a patriarchal society in which the family name passes from father to son.
If we still lived in a Matriarchal society the family name would be passed from mother to daughter.
AS simple as that.Unless you daughter decides to change her last name to yours. which can be done through law. And when she marries she can add that to her contract that she can keep her own name.
2006-08-21 00:27:28 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
not true. daughters can too, and sometimes do (in the case of my neighbors kids) but tradition says that kids take their fathers name. funny given that Mitochondriatic dna is passed through the mother.
2006-08-21 00:23:44 · answer #7 · answered by myersei 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
,A lady by choice, can do same with a hyphen between hers & her husband's e.g. Oprah Winfrey marries Donald Trump to become Oprah Winfrey-Trump.
2006-08-21 00:23:36 · answer #8 · answered by Prof. Virgo 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I'm not a son and I gave my surname to my daughter.
2006-08-21 00:22:06 · answer #9 · answered by theprincesskgb 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You can name a child anything you want. It doesn't even have to have a family last name, you can make it up if you want.
2006-08-21 00:27:09 · answer #10 · answered by aloha_joe2004 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋