In Re the Change of Name of Mohlman

MORRIS, Judge.

These appeals present a novel question in this jurisdiction. Decision requires that we look not only to the common law, but to decided cases from other jurisdictions.

The court in its judgment in each case concluded as a matter of law “[t]hat at common law, a woman upon marriage, assumed the surname of her husband as her own.” It appears clear that in England from whence came our customs with respect to names, there is not now and has never been any common law requirement that a wife assume her husband’s name.

“When a woman on her marriage assumes, as she usually does in England,…