Is "Mrs." used for a married woman who keeps her maiden name?

Question

John Brennan and Elsie McHugh get married. She remains Elsie McHugh. When addressing her in letters, is she called Mrs. McHugh?

Answer 1

Usage

The title may be used with the last name alone, or with the first and last name. Traditionally, the title "Mrs" was used only with the husband's full name: for example, "Mrs Joe Bloggs", for a married woman or widow. In the United Kingdom, the traditional form for a divorcée is "Mrs Jane Bloggs". In the U.S., the form "Mrs. [Maiden Name] Doe" was traditionally used, with the maiden surname in place of the first name, but the form "Mrs. Jane Doe" has since become common as well.

The plural of "Mrs", rarely used, is the French "Mesdames", pronounced in the same manner and usually written in its abbreviated form, "Mmes". In direct address, a woman with the title "Mrs" will usually be addressed as "Madam", or in the United States as "Ma'am."

Marital status

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.

Ambrose Bierce once satirically proposed that, as a parallel to Miss, the title of unmarried men should be Mush.

It is now rather uncommon for women to use their husband's first name, except in compounds such as "Mr and Mrs Joe Bloggs". The form is still used in formal invitations, and when the husband is famous or well-known in business or professional circles (Mrs Avery Fisher) or when a woman is making a particular point ("I am Mrs Norman Maine.").

A current discussion in etiquette is the question of how to address married couples in which the wife does not choose to use her husband's name, or uses a title other than "Mrs", such as "Dr.". Etiquette writer Judith Martin ("Miss Manners") recommends addressing the couple on separate lines:

Ms Jane Smith
Mr John Smith

Martin has also offered advice for referring to a lesbian couple who have adopted one surname, in the form "Mmes Alice and Carol Roe". Should they retain individual surnames, the separate-lines advice applies as above (ie. "Mmes Alice Roe and Carol Davies").

In Australia, New Zealand and the UK, the word "missus" is commonly used as a reference to a girlfriend or partner. This is used as slang and not in a formal manner.

The term "M.R.S. degree" has been used derogatorily to denote women attending college to find a husband

Answer 2

I have maintained my maiden name by law in my husbands native country. There the woman retains her last name. To me it's just something I have to explain once in a while. I think in this day and age when so many things are allowed you should talk to the man you are marrying and see what he thinks and then consider what you want to do. If it's no big deal to him it would appear that you could do as you pleased. To me my husband's last name became mine and my children never had people question wheither mom and dad were married which is one of the downfalls of the loss of some traditional ways.

Answer 3

I would write to her as Mrs. John Brennan. She married him, she should be okay with being referred to as his wife. She is part of the Brennan family, although she kept her maiden name. If you know someone closer to her, ask. She's married, she should be a Mrs.

Personally, I'd hyphenate my name, thus making her Mrs. Elsie McHugh-Brennan. But that's just me.

Answer 4

I think people nowadays are keeping their maiden names especially females. I think also she can be addressed as Mrs.
Ms is for someone who never married.

Answer 5

I think it would be Ms. (pronounced Mizz) as opposed to Miss, for a single woman or Mrs of her husband's surname. This because even though she is Mrs John Brennan, she has chosen to keep the title of Ms. Elise McHugh.

Answer 6

Uufffffffffff !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What complicated pple !!!!!!!!
Why is so much important which name a lady uses?


I'm married from several years, have sons, and i kept my single name. Of course I'm Mrs..Many times pple tell Mrs.......and put my family name there..Why not? It is correct. That i dont accept to use my husband's name doesnt mean that i'm not Mrs:.
Who will say that i'm not???
But as i like the name i got when i born, and I'm proud of my family name, I use it only.
Of course that nobody makes a drama for that.
Why to forget who one is after marriage??? My husband and my sons have their last name, and i have mine.
Sometimes some pple call me by my husband name, but i say to them, that i have bornt with my name and will die with it.

Answer 7

I see people arund where i live that are married but keep their maiden name use "mrs". because any married woman uses "mrs"

Answer 8

No. If you call her Mrs McHugh it means she's married to a McHugh which she is not. Call her Ms or Madam McHugh

Answer 9

No...she's Ms. McHugh. Mrs. is for married women who take their husband's last name.

Answer 10

I believe you should address her as Ms. McHugh because she has made a conscious decision to not take her husband's name, and Ms. is a modern approach in such a case.

Answer 11

Mrs. is only for a married woman used tor someone who uses her married name.