Husband's surname & male genealogy???

Question

As far as I know all over the world or probably the big percentage of it wives are taking over the husband’s surname. They of course keep their maiden name very often but most of them take husband’s. This world seems to have only male population genealogy with exception of some royalties. Why?

Answer 1

My family is my family, the male side is easier but the fun comes in tracking the female side,  we should be a balance of both sides of our family's.

Answer 2

In the beginning, it was a matrilineal society. Kids got the mothers' last names. I believe men even took their wives' names. Then men figured they were stronger than women and thought they can own them. They belittled women every which way they could think of. It's still happening nowadays, where lots of men are branding their wives and children with their names. A lot of women blindly follow this stupid tradition.

I like a lot of the Indian tribes, which represent a matrilineal society where children take their mothers' last names. I'll be one of the few women who keeps her name. I'm even passing my name on to my children.

Answer 3

If a woman is so against it then she shouldn't marry. I am proud to have my husbands name.

Answer 4

Wow!  Man you sound angry....

Answer 5

Generally speaking most societies are primarily patriarchal, meaning that the laws of inheritance usually dessiminated estates based on the male line.  But even in patriarchal societies this certainly isn't exclusive.  Pleanty of women have inherited property from their father's estate.  

I do a lot of research on my matriarchal lines and it isn't any more difficult than following the male line.  Sometimes you run into brick walls and sometimes you don't.  It all depends on how persistent you want to be.

Genealogies themselves are rarely exclusively male or female.  Afterall it takes both a male and a female to create a child.  ;-)  

I wouldn't sweat the difference.  Follow a genealogical line - patriarchal or matriarchal - until you hit a brick wall and then switch lines until you get a breakthrough.  Unless you are exclusively interested in one particular surname, you'll find you have lots of matriarchal lines before you are all said and done.

Answer 6

Excellent question!

I am poised ready to read the answers from people out there.

Answer 7

This has to do with a patriarchal society.  Women were kept in the background and generally considered property.  I have one female ancestor listed in the marriage record as daughter of John Talbot married to...  There never was a record of her given name.

The further back you research, the less you will find records of women.

Answer 8

In Canada, a woman`s legal name is always her birth name.

Even married women, who unofficially use their husbands name, are referred to by their birth name on all official forms and records.

This made it very easy for me to trace my grandfather`s sisters who emigrated to Canada in the early 1900s.

Answer 9

Because except for the few strong woman who decide that they will live their own lives, this world is still ruled by man(men).......Stand up and be counted ladies keep your own name

Answer 10

Surnames are only a small factor in genealogy. Any normal genealogical research involves the use of maiden name's to identify their parents and continue tracing back.  I have no idea as to what you describe as a "male" genealogy.

We frequently (every day) have persons start here with "my last name is Jones, I want my family history".. and we try to explain that their family history is not limited to Jones.. but includes all their ancestors, regardless of names.  There is no reason at all to be looking for all the Jone's in the world... your ancestry will only involve your father/ father's father, etc.. not the rest of them.

You are right that in most (not all) cultures, wives take the name of the husband. But that is a tradition only, which is not integral to finding YOUR personal family history and heritage.