Would a child born to an unwed mother keep his mother's maiden or that of his stepfather?

Question

In this case the mother married and the stepfather did not adopt him. Would that child keep the mother's maiden name?

Answer 1

I'm assuming that the mother's maiden name was the name on the child's birth certificate. If the child was not adopted AND there was no legal name change, then the child's legal name would be whatever his/her birth certificate said.

In my experience, I used my stepfather's name even though I was not adopted up until I was 18. Then in order to get a job and all, I had to use my legal name (my father's name) on documents, so I began using my legal name.

I got a little long winded there, so let me try and be more clear: he would still have his old last name unless there was a legal name change to use his stepfather's name.

Hope that helps. :)

Answer 2

Legally the child would have to have the mothers maiden name. My sister went to her daughters school and told them that she would be using her stepdad's last name that he was going to adopt her and they didn't want her to be confused. The school allowed her to be called be her stepdad's last name. But he didn't adopt her until 8 years later. In this case the stepfather can petition the courts for adoption at any time. They just need the biological father to sign away parental rights then they can start the process.

Answer 3

Mother's maiden name. But the mother could change the child's name to her married name without an adoption.

Answer 4

My feeling on this type of situation is...depending on how old the child is when the mother gets married. If the child is still a baby when they marry then i think it is a wise thing to give the child the name of the step father. Simply to unify that family, so the child as he gets older feels like he really has a father, not just a step father. And the new man should raise the child as his own, no matter what because when you get married to someone, you not only marry that person, but you also marry the entire family whether you like it or not.

Answer 5

This mainly is dependent to the laws set by each country. In eastern countries usually, and I repeat, usually such children take their stepfather's last name. On the other hand, in western country, they take the mother's maiden name, unless asked to do otherwise by the mother or the child when she/he is an adult.

Answer 6

Mother's maiden unless the mother states who the father was at the time of the birth.
Now, the step-father can adopt, and I personally never knew any difference and went by my step father's last name until I decided to stop and go by my real father's.
(my step-father was a jerk)

Answer 7

Really, it depends on what the mother decides, but if it is not through wedlock, then legally, it would take on the maiden name of its mother. Where applicable...

Answer 8

In this case, she would keep a concatenated name of all her mother's lovers. harris-sharpton-massey-smith-jones.