Funny you should ask. When my late partner and I married she said she wanted to go back to her maiden name (she was Persian and in that culture the woman keeps her name but the kids get the father's name. When she and her then husband came to the US and got their citizenship he convinced her to take his name - which, coincidentally was very close to mine). I told her what makes you thin I will give you my name, I don't give my name to just anyone - it was a joke and she said thank you. Little did I know. She was a super extrovert and a lot of people thought I was Mr. (her last name). Even after her death a county assessor came to the door and called me Mr. Baharloo (her name). I didn't care and even felt flattered.

I did not change my name when I married, but fast-forward to when my children started school - I added the "family name" onto mine with a hyphen so that children and I would have a similar name. I used it for many years, although I never legally changed it. When I divorced I had stated in the decree that I would drop the "-last name". I discussed it with my adult children, and two had said they'd expected I would do so, the third one didn't like the idea, but accepted it. I really disliked his name, hated giving it to our children, and was very glad to be rid of it!

It is still common in the UK for the newly married bride to take the husbands name although I know of one couple who took the wifes name. It appears to be the practice in the US for the wife to keep her maiden name as a sort of middle name. Not common here.

Not only that, but how we formally address women has directly to do with what their relation to a man is.

Miss, Ms., Mrs.