Husband taking a wife's surname?

[BlueSavannah]

Hi Everyone.

I was wondering how common or not it was for a man to take a wife's surname at all? I am looking at a family member's wife and it appears that her first husband took her maiden name rather than her taking his name.

She is Louisa Hilton born 1858c in Blacker Hill, Yorkshire. She appears to marry Richard Gibson in Rotherham in 1875 and this is supported by them being boarders to an Elizabeth Gibson on the 1881 census. Their 3 children are all listed as Hilton and not Gibson. Richard appears to die in 1887 and is listed as Richard Hilton not Gibson. Louisa remarries in 1889 as Louisa Hilton to Isaiah Raybould but this time she does take her husband's surname.

I've never come across this before and wondered why he would take her surname rather than the normal way round, especially as she does take her 2nd and 3rd husbands' surnames after she marries them.

Regards

[kiterunner]

People sometimes did this if the wife's family made it a condition of their inheritance - maybe if there was nobody to carry on the name in the male line. Also I have come across it happening where the man was probably trying not to be found, for whatever reason.

[Merry]

I haven't come across this except for my father-i-law who took his wife's surname (and therefore the surname of her ex-husband!)

Have you traced him back to see if he was legitimate?

[BlueSavannah]

I was wondering if it was more to do with not wanting to be found but then he is with an elderly lady on the 81 census who is very possibly his mother or grandmother, though he is listed as a border to her.

I havnt looked to see if he was illegitimate yet, I hadnt thought of that.

[Merry]

He's Hilton in 1861 and 1871 and is with Eliz Gibson both times. 1st time "adopted" second time......lol I've forgotten what it said! But it did say he was born in barnsley W/H.

[Merry]

1871 = grandson!

[Merry]

John Gibson is alone in 1841 and with Eliz, no children with them, in 1851, so I don't know who Richard might belong to.

[Merry]

Perhaps the name he began with was Hilton but he was brought up by John and Eliz Gibson. At marriage maybe he was marrying a cousin??, didn't have a father's name for his certificate, so chose to be a Gibson (as he was 'adopted' by them) and perhas put John Gibson down as his father on the cert?

Just a guess........

[Mary from Italy]

It isn't common, but there is one case in my tree. Other relatives say they've heard that the man was a deserter, and used his wife's name to avoid getting caught.

[Olde Crone]

My friend, whose own name was Smith, lol, took his first wfe's surname because she was the only child of a wealthy man who wanted his surname to continue. As my friend and first wife never had any children, it was a bit of a pointless exercise. It did mean he now has a more unusual surname though, as he never changed back to Smith.

OC

[HarrysMum]

Way back in the Sawrey family, there's a case. Needed to be Sawrey to inherit. Can't remember the details and as this lot joined with the Ariels, Eyres, etc...not sure I really want to remember....lol

[BlueSavannah]

Good Morning Everyone,

So so sorry I didnt reply last night; laptop died on me and hubby has had to reformat it :(

Thank you all for your replies, and to Merry who has looked at Richard on earlier census. It does seem to point more towards an illegitimate child of a Ms Hilton rather than for inheritance reasons, but I suppose I wont know that for sure. The cousin thing certainly would fit well.

This isnt a direct line of mine so I cant really afford to buy the certificate for it, but hope that if I do ever get to Barnsley Archives this year, then its something on my list to look for in their parish records.

Thank you all again :)

[Tom Tom]

It would be interesting to see her second marriage certificate. Wonder what she put as her condition and, as she married under her maiden name, what she put for her father's name if she said she was a widow.

[BlueSavannah]

I have her 2nd and 3rd marriage certificates to Isaiah Raybould in 1889 and Thomas Cowen in 1903. I've just re-looked at them and she does describe herself as a widow on both of these certificates. She also names her father on both as Richard Hilton (same as first husband?) and that he was a coal miner on both; he was also listed as deceased on both.

[BlueSavannah]

oh, and one of the witnesses to both marriages was an Emma Jane Hilton.

[Merry]

She is on the 1861 census with her parents Richard and Jane, so that bit seems fine!

[Merry]

Emma is her younger sister b 1873 (with parents in 1881)

[Kit]

I know a family who changed their surname from his name to her maiden name. His surname was also a verb and the word became a word that had an unpleasant connotation and so they changed it, more for the sake of their children, I suspect.