Job Discussion Forums

4nic8r · Joined: 18 Mar 2004 Posts: 68

Just curious about something... anyone who has married someone abroad (i.e. Japan, Korea, China, HK etc) if your spouse has taken your family name... or did they keep their family name? Also, for females who have married men, have you changed your family name?

The Great Wall of Whiner · Joined: 29 Jan 2003 Posts: 4946 Location: Blabbing

I married a Japanese girl many years ago, and she took my name because she didn't want to be anything but white.

Pure and simple, she is a banana (yellow on the outside, all white in the middle).

Refused to teach me Japanese, or even speak Japanese to our daughter. I WAS THE ONE who was speaking Japanese to her to keep a bit of her heritage.

Anyways, yeah, she still has the name although we are divorced and she has no plans on going back to her maiden name.

Maybe I should demand I want my name back Laughing

guest of Japan · Joined: 28 Feb 2003 Posts: 1601 Location: Japan

I'm married to a Japanese woman in Japan. At first my wife decided to keep her name. However, after doing some reading, I found that family life can become very legally convoluted with the wife having a different name in Japan. My wife later changed her name.

In Japan if the relationship is between two Japanese people then the wife must change her name.

If the relationship is between a foreigner and a Japanese (Male to Female) the wife has a choice as to which name to use. There is only a six month period after marriage in which the wife can change the name. If the wife continues with the Japanese name any future children will take her family name. This can cause a huge legal obstacle if a divorce occurs. Basically, in this case, the foreign father has absolutely no rights to the children.

The Great Wall of Whiner · Joined: 29 Jan 2003 Posts: 4946 Location: Blabbing

Guest of Japan wrote:

guest of Japan · Joined: 28 Feb 2003 Posts: 1601 Location: Japan

I don't know.

saloc · Joined: 04 Jul 2003 Posts: 102

[quote="guest of Japan"]
In Japan if the relationship is between two Japanese people then the wife must change her name.

I'm pretty sure this isn't actually the case. I think (although am not 100%sure) that the husband and wife have to have the same last name, but that could be the name of either family. I think it depends on whether the man is seen as marrying into the woman's family or vice versa. I don't think it matters whether both parties are Japanese or not.

once again · Joined: 27 Jan 2003 Posts: 815

I am married in Hong Kong. My wife has kept her Chinese name. In fact she tells me that it is very rare for chinese people who marry chinese people in HK to change their names. This is certainly what I have found to be the case also with the names of parents of my students. I am told this is because it is just too much trouble to change. Too many departments etc..ID card, passport etc.. There may be other reasons but my wife says it is just because it is troublesome.

hamel · Joined: 03 May 2004 Posts: 95

in korea, women don't lose their family name when they marry. my wife uses my family name on american documents, but retains her korean name in korea and in the korean language. my children have their mom's last name in korea and mine in the usa.

4nic8r · Joined: 18 Mar 2004 Posts: 68

Hamel..

how does that work? I can understand how they would use your name when in your country, but in Korea, they use her family name? So that means, you have a western name for them and a korean name I take it? Just out of curiosity, if they were in school, and have records of a name with Korean, but you register them to school overseas with a new name, how does that work? Ever have any complications? I realize why (for convenience obviously) why your wife wouldn't change her name, just wondering about the kids though (I presume they have dual citizenship) because it sounds like it would be complicated.

Scott in HK · Joined: 11 Jan 2003 Posts: 148

I am married to a Korean. She kept her last name as is the custom in Korea and our kids have my last name.

She has talked about changing her name when we move back to Canada, but I don't think that she has made up her mind yet.

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

I'm married to a Japanese. She held out for the required 6 months before changing her name to mine. Just convenience of timing, nothing more.

My cousin married a Japanese woman and HE changed HIS name to HER family name.

guest of Japan, you might want to check again. Japanese women married to Japanese men don't have to change their names. In fact, some keep their names so they can have an easier time at work, whether they keep the marriage secret or not.

guest of Japan · Joined: 28 Feb 2003 Posts: 1601 Location: Japan

I could easily be wrong.

misterkodak · Posted: Tue May 25, 2004 12:43 pm Post subject:

I'm married to a very sweet and beautiful Turkish woman. She has taken my last name. It wasn't a big deal. Actually the attention we get when people try to pronounce our last name is amusing .There is no W in the Turkish alphabet. I also enjoy it when people mistake my wife and I tourists. We usually speak German together and she's blonde (natural, not bottle). It blows their minds when we answer back in Turkish. Smile

zaneth · Posted: Tue May 25, 2004 3:18 pm Post subject:

My wife kept her name. We were exhausted from paperwork for the marriage my wifes paperwork for moving to another country and for her job and scholarship, residence permit, etc. Just wasn't feasible to change her name. And I'm not all that attached to my name.

Though in retrospect I think there was something else behind it as well.