Changing surnames

[AussieCarol]

My ancestors from Devon used both their surnames as their married name. the ancestor I am chasing finally dropped one of the names and used a single surname which was his mothers. He had Fifteen children ( found in the English census) but his siblings maintained the fathers surname. finally found where they matched up but how do i write this in the family tree ?

[Phoenix]

Software packages should allow you to use alternative surnames. I found one family using three different surnames as both father and grandfather were illegitimate.
I would use the main surname they were known by but add an explanation. Sometimes changes are made in the hope of inheriting something.