This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: GordonPertJohnson Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.britisles.scotland.general/22276.2.1.1.1/mb.ashx Message Board Post: Acceptable, but my point was that it was normal practice throughout Scotland, that a woman RETAINED her maiden name throughout life. All the OPRs show this, as do the kirk session minutes, as do the gravestone inscriptions, and as do all other Scottish records, from protocol books to the Register of the Privy Seal, and the Register of the Privy Council. It was in England that a woman took her husband's surname, and that over the years that pressure, through officialdom, had some influence on official records such as the census, and on newspapers, and eventually on the Poors Registers (where "Widow Brown in Wick (etc.)" became a frustratingly acceptable norm). Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.