Is keeping your maiden name uncommon in the UK

Hi All,

As no one who knows me was surprised to hear, I'm not taking my husband's last name name. It sounds as if this is a great exception in the UK. Has that been true from your experiences? Should I expect negative comments or problems doing things like opening a joint bank account? Will it have an impact on the FLR and ILR? I won't change it regardless of the answers, but it would be helpful to know what to expect.

Thanks.

(And my visa application was "Delivered. Signed for by:  A.STEWART" at the consulate at 10:06am. Come on A Stewart- get that package on someone's desk upstairs!)

There will be no impact on your visa at all.  They really don't care what name you choose.  A lot of people send in stuff in both names when it comes time for ILR.  As for the culture, I think it's less common here, but not unheard of.  My sister-in-law chose to keep her maiden name when they married.  I don't think she gets flack for it.  Of course, you're bound to get the occasional confusion from people, but I don't think there should be any problems for you at all.

No-one's cared/asked/noticed in the UK that I didn't change my name, the only person that cared were my American in-laws.

In my experience, I don't think it's completely unheard of, but it's not as common.  When I got married and didn't change my name, my American friends and family didn't think anything of it but my UK in-laws were a bit confused and I did get a few questions as to why and if it was an American custom or family custom.  I didn't get any negative comments about it though - more curious ones.

I've not had any problem with anything in the UK in regards to my name (bank accounts, visa, utility bill, rent agreement, etc).

I didn't change mine and find it isn't common here but it isn't a big deal at all.

Thanks for your responses!

I didn't change my name and no one on either side of the pond seems to care. 

I didn't change mine and most of my British girl friends that have married have not changed either.  I have found it really common in the UK and no one cares.  On the other hand, I have been asked about it a lot in the US. 

My experience seems to be a bit different from the other comments and I have to wonder if this is because I was in London in the UK and the deep South in the US.

I think, if any thing, your lack of name-change would be less noticeable in the UK, where it seems much more common (or at least, less stigmatised) to just never bother getting married.

It seems more common, or at least more 'mainstream', to just get on with being partners and raising a family without getting bureaucrats involved.

So, I can't say how much or little it might confuse people who know that you're married, but if you're worried about things like not having the same last name as potential offspring, then I wouldn't.  I don't think it's that weird here.

Sara, my experience is similar, and I wonder if it's a professional thing. I work in science, and lots of women have already published when they get married, so don't bother changing their names. I didn't and it hasn't caused any confusion. It certainly won't impact your visa. And as woadgrrl said, lots of people here never marry at all, so it's really not a big deal.

I kept mine and have only had problems with one SIL who insited on tacking my Dh's last name on to my first for quite awhile - but she's over that now! (Took her long enough! )

Really, I expected more people to comment on it, but no one really cares (and they shouldn't as it isn't really their business anyway )

I did a hyphen. We married in NYC. So, I could do a hyphen.
It seems to be very uncommon to hyphen a single and married name in the UK.
I did not know that at the time.

I'm not sure why I did it.
I had actually never even considered the 'new name' aspect of marriage until we were actually filling out the form on the day we were getting married! It just slipped my mind.

So, I just decided on the fly to do a hyphen name.

I was told that if someone wants to do a hyphen when they marry in the UK that they need something called a 'deed pole' in order to do it. Not sure if it is correct tho, as I never looked it up.

But, because I married in NYC, I did not need a 'deed pole' to do it.

But, I'm not suggesting you do the hyphen. People react oddly to a surname with a hyphen here. They think it means something else. It seems to be some sort of class based thing. I guess, here, a hyphen name is a sigh of being wealthy in some peoples minds?

My in laws just assumed I changed my name to his name, and about a month after we were married, they got me a ticket for a flight to Italy under his surname, and we had to change the ticket.

They did ask me why I did the hyphen, rather than just keep my own name, or just take the new name, but they seemed more curious than in any way upset, or offended!

But, as a performer, and a published writer, I did not want to just totally change my name to a new surname.

I don't think it is considered a big deal here to change, or not change a name after getting married.

The only other people who ever said anything to me about it were my super feminist friends in NYC. And, they sort of thought the hyphen was a good "compromise" - which I kinda thought was funny!

I don't know too many people here who are married and don't have the same last name.  But I do know plenty of families who aren't married and that's not a big deal.  I personally like it when the hubby takens on his wifes surname.  Or when both couples change names. I think we've had someone on here make up their own new surname.   Quite easy to do those things via deed poll, I believe. 
Good stuff!   

I think it's a bit different in academia, as many people are "known"  under a specific name, so people will keep one name at work (maiden) but swap over to a married name (of some persuasion) outside of work, or not, sometimes!

I just took my maiden name and shoved it in the middle, so now I have four.  I must admit, one reason I swapped is I went from a "S" that was difficult to pronounce and spell to a "B" that was simple! Ahhhh, convenience over romance, that's me!

I think we've had someone on here make up their own new surname.   Quite easy to do those things via deed poll, I believe. 
Good stuff!   

That would have been me! 
I was divorced, and tired of carrying around my ex-husband's name.  I didn't want to go back to my maiden/birth name, as it was awful-sounding and difficult to spell, and my boyfriend and I have agreed that, as much as we want to stay together forever, we don't want to marry, so I was never going to have *his* name.  So I just picked my own new surname, and I'm very happy with it.  Currently in the process of having all my bills and accounts and ID changed over, but apart from BLOODY PAYPAL(!!!) it's been a smooth and easy transition.