woman surnames after wedding

Dianora · Post by **Dianora** » Sat Mar 20, 2010 9:28 pm

I was wondering if women in Finland usually change their surname after wedding.
Is it custom to have 2 surnames ( 1st maiden 2nd housbends ) ?

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EP · Post by EP » Sat Mar 20, 2010 9:34 pm

Four different ways:

- woman takes husband´s name

- woman takes a name Maiden name-Husband´s name

- woman keeps her own name

- husband takes wife´s maiden name.

Yes, that happens, too. For example when wife has a rare surname that is in danger to vanish.

Pursuivant · Post by **Pursuivant** » Sat Mar 20, 2010 9:40 pm

Mr. Uros meets Ms Naaras & gets married:

1. Mr Uros & Mrs Uros OR Mr Naaras & Mrs Naaras
2. Mr Uros & Mrs Naaras-Uros OR Mr Uros-Naaras & Mrs Naaras
3. Mr Uros & Mrs Naaras

4... as its free on the occasion, if there is a 3rd name in the family or a free one to make up
Mr Eunukki & Mrs Eunukki

Children automatically follow the mother.

OK, then there is also hyphenated or double surnames, so there sometimes can be a four-name surname but thats a bit... unmpf

luulio · Post by **luulio** » Sat Mar 20, 2010 9:48 pm

"Children automatically follow the mother"??

In practically all Finnish families I know the children bear the father's surname even if the mother has kept her own.

Pursuivant · Post by **Pursuivant** » Sat Mar 20, 2010 9:50 pm

Well the computer automatically assigns the mothers name, the parents need to assign the fathers surname with the "namegiving notice" they send back to the maistraatti. So if the couple Mr Uros & Mrs Naaras get a boy, the notice comes as boy Naaras.

Dianora · Post by **Dianora** » Sun Mar 21, 2010 1:24 am

Thanks for the info!
I really never met a man that took his wife's surname

I was considering having my sunrame + future housbend's surname once we get married but i m not really sure about it.
My surname is just too exotic in the finnish point of wiew so having it later on and living in FInland is not really an option

Oh well, i still have a cuple of months to decide about it. Probably i ll just take my darling's surname since it's totally finnish

That way noone could really tell i m a damn foreigner once i live there ( at last untill i start talking bad finnish to them )

Pursuivant · Post by **Pursuivant** » Sun Mar 21, 2010 1:45 am

Well, unless your first name told them anything - but when you go to places you start playing the "foreigner card" - "hey - you're Finnish"

Dianora · Post by **Dianora** » Sun Mar 21, 2010 1:51 am

My name is quite international so it can easyly pass for a finnish one

Nina

sinikettu · Post by **sinikettu** » Sun Mar 21, 2010 11:15 am

One advantage of not changing your name to that of your husband (wife) is you do not need to change your ID card or passport.
You are supposed to apply within 40 days.
For a Finn it cost 40€ x 2 (passport plus id) at the local cop shop, plus of course two photos, but for a Brit it means a trip to the Embassy for the passport, cost about 140€ there, plus another 40€ for the ID card.

Dianora · Post by **Dianora** » Sun Mar 21, 2010 12:48 pm

Yes i know I would have to change all the documents. The funny thing is that i just had to apply for a new passport since it wass gonna expire soon

I would have to change all the documents: passport, ID card, driving licence, bank documents...
The passport renewal costs 50 E here in Croatia so it s not so bad.
I guess all the document change would be around 120 E .

Rip · Post by **Rip** » Mon Mar 22, 2010 9:35 pm

luulio wrote: In practically all Finnish families I know the children bear the father's surname even if the mother has kept her own.

It is to the parents to decide (in the case could not decide, the mother's name is the default option) the last name of the first child. Any future siblings are supposed to share that name.

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