>Hi Denis,
>
>>Is this an european thing?
>
>No. In Germany (that has similar rules for last names as the US) it's still uncommon. The difference is just that in Europe it's equally possible, whereas in the US it seems to be a major problem for a man to change his name, but zero effort for a women to do the same.
>
>Other european countries have different rules for last names. Spain comes to my mind where everone has two last names that derive from the mother's and father's last name.

It's the same in Canada, I've never seen or heard of a husband taking the wife's name solely - although I have seen a husband and wife both take both names hyphenated - similar to the Spaniards, I suppose.

I have seen one case where the wife has no brothers to "carry on the family name", so her first-born son was given her surname (solely) instead of her husband's. In that case, the husband has brothers with children.