Double-barrell surnames - how common are they?

ps, although some people might think I'm being 'poncey' on behalf of my children I know you can't please everybody. I have read some really stupid comments about using Ms (as opposed to Miss) on mn. So there will always be somebody somewhere with a really judgmental and narrow view of what is normal. Anything outside of that is going to be poncey, common, uptight, unmarried, feminist, a point to prove.... [shrug]

Most sensible people will realise that if two sur names are being used it is not to try and sound posh. I doubt anybody thinks I'm being poncey on my children's behalf! If they do they're a bit silly. If they paused for a moment to consider our circumstances they'd get it.

If they are used by the family for generations, then they are okay. If they are new, then I think of Emma Noble-Major, and a pit poncey/ try hard. Unless mother and father are not married, and then I think they are fine, as they serve a purpose, of child sharing name with both parents.

My DP parents double barrelled their surname, but his dad never used the double-barrelled name (he stuck with Jones), the double-barrelled surname was just for his children and wife. His son and daughter both dropped the first part (mums maiden name) before secondary school, and are both Jones. DP's mum is the only one in family with double-barrelled name.

Lots of kids I know have double-barrelled names - really long ones too. I was happy for dds to have my DH's name because mine if very boring and his is distinctive. Unless you both love your names and insist, I would stick to one name because it is less complicated that way.

I had one and it was a pain. No one could ever remember which letter they'd filed me under at places like the hospital. Easier I suppose now with computer files.

Still, despite an appreciation of the feminist argument, I ditched mine when I married and I now have a very simple, unambiguous surname.

Don't worry what other people think because it works both ways...

when a woman gets married nowadays and changes her name to her husband's I think they really didn't think it through and just cannot understand it!

We all have opinions and make assumptions, you can't please everyone so please yourself

I'm a feminist, so the reasons behind many double- barrelled surnames makes

a lot of sense. I just find the actual names generally cumbersome and often a bit odd sounding.

Mine are hyphenated - neve been the slightest problem to anyone. Except for a few members of dp's family who insist on refering to us all as the mayname-hisnames, rather than just the children.

I don't see that it's 'try hard' or common to have a double barrelled name.
I have one, and it quite obviously isn't posh, but it's because my mum is fab and didn't want to lose her surname, so when she married my dad they kept both of them.
If anything it's less try hard than being so desperate that you'll give up your own surname and take someone else's.

Unless someone is obviously posh i tend to think of them as a little try-hard/common.

Yeah, me too.

will probably be flamed but unless someone is obviously posh i tend to think of them as a little try-hard/common. sorry.

same as tummytickler and serendipity, v rare maiden name I didn't want to lose and my DH is Smith so I double-barrelled, DS has the same as me and DH may change in future if he can be arsed

We have a double-barrell surname.
When we married i didn't want to give up my name & my husbands is quite a common surname.
Now we're all know by our double-barrell surname.

However my MIL refuses point blank to call my husband or our kids by our name & will only use his part of the surname. Also i find when im at appointments most people tend to miss part of the name, which i don't get.
If you see a name saying Sarah Smith-Jones, why would you call out Sarah Jones.

I think in my eldest sons class there are about 4 kid with a double-barrelled surname. His best mate has one but his parents aren't married.

same as pp here, my son was born out of wedlock and we used both of our surnames. We recently got married, and have all taken on the double-barrelled surname, to match with our Son's. So we are all my surname - his surname.
We are not common!

Am secretly quite touched and honoured husband has taken on my name, as it's not often done I don't suppose, bless him.

We have a hyphenated surname, and we are married.
I have quite an unusual maiden name, and I am also the last in my family with the opportunity to pass it on. If I didn't keep it then my generation would be the last to use that surname, as no boys were born in my family.
So dh and I hyphenated my maiden name and his surname.
Both parts of the surname are always used. (poor dc's also have loads of middle names to contend with. They are going to love us when they do form filling when they are older!)

I am posh and I'm unmarried.

whenIwish - all I know is that if Hassled isn't involved somewhere, umbnrage will be taken. My DILs are going to just love me.

Well my x and I never married, but neither of us would be exactly common thank you. He had many faults but he wasn't 'common'. I use the two names because I think it's a more accurate reflection of who the children are.

Even if I had married I don't think I would be inclined now to take a man's name. So I think society is moving in a different direction. The automatic assumption that children will take their father's name is being questioned. Families are doing what feels right for them.

I am married but I didn't change my surname, my DDs have my husbands surname, but my maiden name as a middle name, never caused a problem and they are quite happy with their names, they see my name as an integral part of theirs

yes i have wondered about that Hassled. Maybe a merged name or hybrid will have to take place, so it becomes Hassith-Blones or an anagram. or a completely new (unrelated?) word!
I tried for this but dh wasn't having any of it.