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Archiver > GENBRIT > 2003-07 > 1058237938


From: "Mike Hide" <>
Subject: Re: Scottish Tombstones
Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2003 02:58:58 GMT
References: <572c4cf.0307141247.1192cc4c@posting.google.com> <3386hv83ldodkprla7turns7tnaa4ccfhi@4ax.com>


As far as I know in at least in Iceland the woman is always referred to by
her maiden name, married or not. It might well be the same in some of the
scandinavian countries and may have ben so in Saxon England...mjh


"Don Aitken" <> wrote in message
news:...
> On 14 Jul 2003 13:47:45 -0700, (John Stevens)
> wrote:
>
> >Recently whilst visiting south-west Scotland (from London) I visited
> >a village churchyard to look at some historic graves. Whilst there I
> >noticed that on all tombstones that recorded the death of a married or
> >widowed woman her maiden name only was quoted. i.e
> >
> >"Here lies Mary Jones, beloved wife of John Smith"
> >
> >Now I may be unobservant but this seems different from my experience
> >elsewhere. It is usual surely for a woman to be recorded on her tombstone
> >in her married name? Certainly all of my ancestors graves that I have
found
> >have been in this format.
> >
> >So, can anyone tell me if the use of the maiden name is peculiar to
Scotland
> >or it it a practice to be found elsewhere in Britain?
> >
> It's a Scottish thing. In Scots law a woman retains her surname on
> marriage. She would commonly be referred to by her husband's surname,
> but I think most people would be aware that that was just a custom.
>
> --
> Don Aitken

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