If you’re wondering what is “maiden name” in Tagalog? What’s its significance in the culture? Or how the country deals with women’s maiden names? Then you’ve come to the right place!
Today, I’ll be answering common questions about maiden names in Tagalog, including what a maiden name is, how you can say it in Tagalog, how you can find it, and how it differs from a surname.
What Is Maiden Name in Tagalog?
In Tagalog, there are several ways you can say maiden name as follows:
- Maiden name = maiden name
- Maiden name = pagkadalaga ang pangalan
- Maiden name = pagkadalaga ang pangalang
- Maiden surname = apelyido sa pagkadalaga
- My maiden name was Ramos = Ang pangalan niya ay Ramos
- Ramos is her mother’s maiden name = Ramos ang maiden name ng mama niya
But what does “maiden name” mean in Tagalog?
Well, it’s the same as it means in English. Maiden name is an unmarried woman’s last name before she gets married and takes the last name of her husband.
It’s also referred to as a married woman’s maiden surname or birth name.
Examples of Maiden Names
To make it easier to understand, let’s say there’s a single woman called Maria Garcia. She married a man called Manuel Reyes.
Now, she’s called Maria Ryes. However, Maria’s maiden name is Garcia, which is also her maiden surname and her birth name.
After marriage, Reyes became Maria’s last name, surname, and married name. This can also be applied to other generic names like Jeanne Ringer.
How Do I Find My Mother’s Maiden Name?
There are three ways you can find your mother’s maiden name:
- Via her marriage certificate — this is probably the easiest document you can get your hands on since your mother probably keeps a copy of the record at home. A marriage certificate typically includes the maiden name of the bride, the names of her parents, and her husband’s name.
- Via her birth certificate— this one is an obvious solution. Your mother’s birth certificate will surely state her maiden name. It’s just a matter of finding it!
- Via her death certificate — I hope you don’t have to resort to this way any time soon, but it’s a viable solution. If a death record doesn’t directly list your mother’s maiden name, it probably includes her parents’ names, so you can find her maiden name without issues.
What’s the Difference Between Maiden Name and Surname?
As I explained earlier, the maiden name is an unmarried woman’s last name before she gets married and takes the last name of her husband.
On the other hand, the surname (also known as the last name) is the family name that a person shares with their family members.
A woman’s maiden name is her surname before marriage, while her married name is her surname after marriage.
FAQs
Are married women required to take their husbands’ surname in Tagalog?
No, there’s no obligation for a married woman to use the surname of her husband. It’s just an option should she want to take it.
In the Philippines, a married woman can:
- Keep her maiden name after the wedding
- Use her maiden first name and last name, then add her husband’s last name
- Use her maiden first name and her husband’s last name
- Use her husband’s full name with a prefix (Mrs.) to indicate that she’s his wife.
Can I use my maiden name again in my passport after using my husband’s surname?
According to the Philippine Passport Act of 1996, a married woman is free to continue using her maiden name in her passport. But if she had taken her husband’s last name and used it in her passport, she isn’t allowed to go back to using her maiden name.
This rule doesn’t hold up in any of the following cases:
- The husband died.
- The man and woman got divorced.
- The man and woman got an annulment.
- Their marriage got nullified.
Wrap Up
There you have it, everything you need to know to answer the question “what’s “maiden name” in Tagalog?”. As you can tell, it has the same meaning in English, just in a different language!
