Quote Originally Posted by mickchick View Post
CA -- No offense intended but I always thought of my maiden name as "my" last name, not my dad's. My parents, surprisingly enough given that they were born in the 1920s and had very old-fashioned values, drilled in me and my sister the need to be independent in all ways. My sister also kept her maiden name. In addition, my parents really stressed the family history--my dad was a first-generation Irish/American, and the family was large, traditionally Irish (in ways good and bad) and very proud of our Irish heritage. There was a lot of identity put in the name and passed on to kids.

That's where I'm coming from---it's truly just a different view and I'm not being critical or judgmental of your perspective on it.
No offense taken! It's interesting how we all have different perspectives. I think mine was skewed by the fact that I "grew up" with my grandparents (mom's side) and my mom re-married when I was in middle school and took her new H's last name. So - I was the only one in my family with that name. Guess that's why it felt that way? But I agree - most people do think of their "maiden" name as their last name. I think I'm the odd ball Not for the first time