Double-barrelled Name - Formation

Formation

Double-barrelled names may be formed for a variety of reasons. Some are formed when the family names of two people are combined upon marriage or civil partnership, thus forming a new two-part surname, or when children are given surnames combining those of both parents. Double-barrelled names may also be used by children who are not brought up by their birth-parents to combine the surname of a birth-parent with that of an adoptive parent, or the surname of their biological father with that of a stepfather. Other families choose double-barrelled names for egalitarian reasons, rejecting the patriarchal custom of consistently passing on only the father's name on principle. Similarly, same-sex couples may want to emphasise equality between partners. In some cases, a child whose parents have divorced may be given or choose to adopt a double-barrelled surname.

To avoid the use of double-barrelled surnames, a small number of couples create a new blended surname, combining parts of each name into one, such as Villaraigosa (from Villar and Raigosa).

Among nobility, in the past especially, if a woman married down from her social status it was common for her and her husband to use a double-barrelled name. This was done both so as not to diminish the social status of the woman and to gain for her husband a higher social status.

Double-barrelled names are sometimes adopted when the man has a common surname such as Smith or Jones which the couple want to avoid after marriage; hence double-barrelled names often incorporate a common surname. For instance, if Mary Howard married John Smith, they could choose to become Mary and John Howard-Smith (with the man's surname usually going second). In the great majority of cases, though, they would simply opt for Mary and John Smith.

Some double-barrelled names are formed in order to prevent a family name otherwise dying out, because of the lack of males in a generation or when notable property is inherited through the female line with a stipulation that the individual inheriting use the family name. Such is the case with the Harding-Rolls family.

For same-sex couples and their families, the presumptions of gender are irrelevant; many agree on one name or another, or combine the two as a double-barrelled name.

In Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking countries, having a non-hyphenated double-barrelled surname is the norm, and in some cases (e.g., Spain) it is actually a legal requirement. See the article on Spanish naming customs for more information.