Why do we inherit our surname from our father ?

Question

Wouldn't it be more logical to inherit our mother's surname ? We spend the first nine months of our existence inside our mother and, after being born, most of us spend the next few years in close proximity to our mother. Many people grow up not really knowing their father: some never even meet their father. It's quite rare, on the other hand, for a person not to know his/her mother. Most of us are influenced far more by our mother's personality than by our father's personality.

Answer 1

Tradition. Who told you the world was fair?

Answer 2

I think the Spanish are named after the motherline.

The Icelandics have an interesting system. If a father is called Jan Jansen his daughter's surname will be Jansdottir (Jan's daughter) and his son's surname will be Jansson. So siblings have different surnames from each other and their parents.
This is the old Viking way and is the early form of so many of our names in UK and USA today.

Answer 3

it has much to do with the fact that men want to claim their sons as their own to ensure the inheritance goes to his blood line. The fact that a good many children are not those of the putative father misses the point. In fact many a grand house has a titled head who descended from a lusty stable hand, and a good thing to as it strengthens weak 'blue' blood

Answer 4

So we know who our father is, my brother is Langley after his dad and my sister is Hamilton after mothers Husband.
My dad came over with the USAF flying F111s mum says, but are neighbour laughs and says he was a clerk anyway
he sends birthday cards and some maintenance money. Mum thinks it is not healthy to have more than 1 child with each man and anyway she gets more from the CSA as we have different dads.

Answer 5

I totally agree with you, although i think the reason is that the father is meant to be head of family and your mother usually has your fathers surname because of marriage so its just logical

Answer 6

There are many reasons - most already in answers posted so won't repeat them but it basically dates back to when it was a 'man's world' oh how times have changed, hee hee!

Answer 7

Its a sort of respect thing, to reinforce the fathers role, and basically keep him interested, as like you say, its all about the female bond really.
Take the name away, the passing on of the family genes, and what has the man really got?

Answer 8

I supose so we can track down our ancestors. Get to know where your roots came from. I understand about what about moms but a while back a man was supose to support his family and live for them thats why the family had his name. Because it was his family.

Answer 9

It all refers back to the male domineering, man is stronger thing from way back when. Club female on head, drag her away.

Inheriting a fathers name is no biggie for me, I want to know why we have to take our husbands name. I kept my maiden name, I like it and it's MY name. My kids have the fathers name though! Tradition. If your family has no son to carry on the name it is a tragedy, what if my father has no son to carry his name on? I am the last one in the family with his/my name. One of my sons is considering changing his last name to my fathers since there is no one to carry on the name.
Maybe we should all be allowed to pick our own names, I'd change mine to Rockefeller or Hearst, something like that!

Answer 10

probably leads back to the origin of surnames, in medievil times surnames were just your profesion - black smith became smith - so it being a male dominant society back then the surnames/family names were of the man. generaly the children would also go into the trade.

Answer 11

I guess because it's customary. We live in a patriarchal society and this is one aspect of that. Of course, there's always deed polls if you want to change your name to anything else :)