Why would a married woman be buried with her maiden name?

[mdvukas]

I had a great aunt that was killed in the war. She was married and had a daughter. All three were killed the same day in Pietransieri in 1943 but for some reason she is listed with here maiden name on the memorial. Can someone explain this to me?

[maestra36]

You don't say where the memorial is, but in Italy, married women retain their maiden names in their death records.

[sorrydude]

Traditionally, Italian women did not take their husband's last name. In some cases you might find that marriage is indicated by changing an ending "o" to "i". In my case I have seen this with Trivilino to Trivilini, Grifo to Grifi and Nasuto to Nasuti.

[Bette]

It is my understanding that the legal name of a woman in Italy is her maiden name. It makes the genealogical search a lot easier.

[nuccia]

Funny enough I recently found out that while women who marry in North America often use their husband's surname, it is not really their *legal* surname. It is what is known as an assumed surname. Unless you actually go to court to change it, your maiden name is your real legal name.

I still use my maiden name for all my legal documents but I have hyphenated it. And this is how I have asked to be buried when I die. So - perhaps it was her wish to be buried this way?

[Squigy]

Funny enough I recently found out that while women who marry in North America often use their husband's surname, it is not really their *legal* surname. It is what is known as an assumed surname. Unless you actually go to court to change it, your maiden name is your real legal name.

8O Really? I did not know that. Makes sense, though.

[mdvukas]

Thank you all for your answers. I am really learning alot from this website and I've only just joined a few days ago.