In Quebec, the Civil Code requires parents to assign their child only one surname (either a single or compound surname) derived from their respective surnames. Compound surnames may not have more than two parts, with or without hyphens. Thus, a couple named Joseph BOUCHARD-TREMBLAY and Marie DION-ROY could give their children the surnames:
BOUCHARD
TREMBLAY
DION
ROY
BOUCHARD-TREMBLAY
DION-ROY
BOUCHARD-DION
BOUCHARD-ROY, and so on.
In Quebec, the law provides that spouses retain their respective birth names when they are married.
The above is for Quebec only, which has a completely different civil law system (a mix of common law and Napoleonic civil code), and does not apply to the rest of Canada.
"Mr Bouchard-Roy-Tremblay-Barbier-Allard-Dupont and Ms Moreau-Dubois-Laurent-Aubert-Beaumont have flagrantly shown disrespect for French customs by desiring to call themselves Mr and Mrs Bouchard-Moreau-Roy-Dubois-Tremblay-Laurent-Barbier-Aubert-Allard-Beaumont-Dupont and MUST be forced to truncate this surname into no more than two parts with or without a single dash. They are a disgrace to the national culture."
"How DARE you call us disgraces. We, the Bouchard-Moreau-Roy-Dubois-Tremblay-Laurent-Fournier-Aubert-Allard-Beaumont-Duponts have a long, proud history of serving our country and its people and will not be treated in such a manner! We demand to be shown respect!"
The judge raises his hand to ask the room for silence and looks toward the defendants
"IT IS SETTLED! You do not even know your own name and have persisted with this nonsense far too long! You filed your marriage request with the surname Bouchard-Moreau-Roy-Dubois-Tremblay-Laurent-Barbier-Aubert-Allard-Beaumont-Dupont and cannot properly recite it yourself! This is a disgraceful waste of the people's and the great government of France's time. You are hereby directed to choose a surname with no more than two parts separated or not by a dash and I will hear no more of this nonsense! Case dismissed!"
Simón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar Palacios Ponte y Blanco[c] (24 July 1783 – 17 December 1830) was a Venezuelan military and political leader who led what are currently the countries of Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Panama, and Bolivia to independence from the Spanish Empire. He is known colloquially as El Libertador, or the Liberator of America.
Simón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar Palacios Ponte y Blanco[c] (24 July 1783 – 17 December 1830) was a Venezuelan military and political leader who led what are currently the countries of Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Panama, and Bolivia to independence from the Spanish Empire. He is known colloquially as El Libertador, or the Liberator of America.
I'm Brazilian and here in Brazil there's no well defined culture on what to do with family names. Legally, you can come out with a complete new family name at the moment of marriage, with the only rule that both people should have it.
In my case, my parents already had some long names. Dad 1 2 3 and Mom 4 5. Both me, my sister and my mom end up with 4 5 2 3, I believe because pressure from my grandparents.
By the way, having four family names, like I do, is not very common in Brazil. It is more common to have two, both the last names from the parents, e.g. Dad 1 2 and Mom 3 4 would result in Baby 4 2, with one of the parents optionally taking those names too (traditionally the woman).
as always – it depends on the jurisdiction.
But in most cases, they will use a new hyphenated last name that consists of both partners' first last name, with the man's first last name first.
In our case we both kept our last names. Why change her last name when that’s who she’s always been? Really simplifies things as far as paperwork goes. Also - LPT: when you have different last names you can get double the introductory offers on things like internet packages at home. Just sign up under one name, cancel when able, sign up under the other. They don’t know you’re married.
I read an article about this a few years ago, and the answer is whatever they want. I remember one couple said they just decided they liked the wife's grandmother's maiden name, so they just picked that. She was confused but flattered.
I know a few people who've done this. When they got married they decided they didn't like either last name so just chose a new one. In one case it was the guy's online handle - which was also a normal last name. In the other case it was a name from their favourite movie.
Haha have you ever seen an Indian person, especially a man's ID? Not exaggerating, it's around 5-7 last names of something. Feel free to correct me but as a bartender, it could be both funny and irritating when verifying their ID.
I've always thought the system of last names should be hyphenated. Your paternal last name first, maternal last name second. Women no longer change their names when marrying. Men pass the paternal name down to their kids, women pass down the maternal. That way last names are essentially a record of who your OG matrons and patrons are.