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angestammter Name

English translation: parental surname

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:angestammter Name
English translation:parental surname
Entered by: Peter Zauner

12:07 Jun 18, 2012
German to English translations [PRO]
Law/Patents - Law (general) / Divorce Ruling
German term or phrase: angestammter Name
All,

I am proofreading a divorce ruling of a Swiss court.
The sentence in question reads:
"Der Ehegatte, der seinen Namen geändert hat, behält den bei der Heirat erworbenen Familiennamen, sofern er nicht binnen einem Jahr, nachdem das Urteil rechtskräftig geworden ist, gegenüber dem Zivilstandsbeamten erklärt, dass er den **angestammten Namen** oder den Namen, den er vor der Heirat trug, wieder führen wolle (Art. 119 Abs. 1 ZGB)."

The translation reads:
"Unless a spouse, who had changed their name, declares, within one year of the legal effect of the ruling, to the clerk at the Civil Registry Office their intention to return to the use of their **maiden name** or, respectively, the name they bore prior to the marriage, they shall keep the family name acquired by marriage (Art. 119 Para. 1 ZGB [Swiss Civil Code])."

With the German text being deliberately worded gender-neutral I wonder if 'maiden name' is the best word here as it implies a woman who has changed her name by marriage.
Any suggestions?

Perhaps "...return to the use of their **family name** or, respectively, the name they bore prior to the marriage, they shall keep the surname acquired by marriage..."

Thank you.

Peter
Peter Zauner
Australia
Local time: 19:37
parental surname
Explanation:
This is the official Swiss translation.
See the whole paragraph below under reference comments.
http://www.admin.ch/ch/e/rs/2/210.en.pdf
Selected response from:

franglish
Switzerland
Local time: 11:37
Grading comment
Thank you, franglish. It is definitely worth a glossary entry!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +1parental surname
franglish
3 +2birth name
Colin Rowe
4 +1original name
David Wright
3family name
Michél Dallaserra
3given name
Michael Martin, MA
Summary of reference entries provided
Swiss Civil Code in English
franglish

Discussion entries: 7





  

Answers


3 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
family name


Explanation:
fits the context well.

Michél Dallaserra
Germany
Local time: 11:37
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
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8 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +2
birth name


Explanation:
One possibility, to avoid having to use "maiden name" in the case of a man who changed his name on marrying.

"Birth name is a term now sometimes used for maiden name (name before marriage of a woman, in cultures where a married woman's name customarily changes), by those who find maiden name to be an old-fashioned usage with the wrong connotations. By extension to men, birth name or now sometimes birthname can mean name at birth, or possibly (and less precisely) the more elusive concept of real name (i.e. name before taking a professional name such as stage name, pen name, ring name, or an assumed name/alias name/nickname, or some recognised name change process which de jure alters names)."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Name_at_birth

Colin Rowe
Germany
Local time: 11:37
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 20

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  David Wright: I wonder though whether angestammt can be a name that was not acquired at birth (e.g. through adoption)
2 mins
  -> My interpretation is the same as that given in Joseph's comment below. I do not claim 100% certainty, however, hence CL3. Incidentally, the situation in Germany appears to match that in Austria regarding the ability of the man to take his wife's name.
agree  Joseph Given (X): I think the key phrase here is "angestammten Namen** ODER den Namen, den er vor der Heirat trug" which would be another married name, adopted name etc. Familienstammbuch seems to me to be main hint here.
6 mins
  -> Thanks. I was also thinking of the German "(Familien-)Stammbuch", but I have no idea whether such a thing exists in a Swiss context.
agree  Kim Metzger
13 mins
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9 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
original name


Explanation:
it's what I would use here, since this is exactly what is meant. Not sure about family name and maiden name since the latter only applies to women (and at least under Austrian law men can adopt their wife's name upon marriage), while the former looks like it could lead to confusion in the text.

David Wright
Austria
Local time: 11:37
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 295

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Colin Rowe: Another good solution, but similar problem as for "birth name". In the case of an adoptee, what would be understood here by "orginal name": name at birth or name after adoption? Important thing is to avoid "maiden name" for men (in Germany as in Austria)!
44 mins
  -> True; I'm not really convinced of any of the answers, though I would probably use either original or birth name. They are n't exactly a one-to-one fit but are probably close enough for the purpose here.
agree  Horst Huber (X): Most likely the legislation would say "Geburtsname" if that was the indended meaning.
1 hr
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58 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
given name


Explanation:
another option - they all seem acceptable to me.

I am hearing that Snooki wants to return to her given name... :-)

Michael Martin, MA
United States
Local time: 05:37
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 364

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Vikki Pendleton: This usually makes me think of a first name - as in the context of Snooki...
22 mins
  -> Thanks for your thought on that.
neutral  Colin Rowe: With Vikki. To me, the "given name" is the name "given" by the parents (i.e. the first name), as opposed to the name automatically "taken" from them (i.e. the surname).
37 mins
  -> You, too, Colin.
neutral  BrigitteHilgner: With Vikki and Colin.
1 hr
  -> Okay, Brigitte.
neutral  Joseph Given (X): ditto with the others. And I'm sure about it, because my surname is Given and Joseph is my given name :) this is a long-standing joke among my students. :)
4 hrs
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6 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +1
parental surname


Explanation:
This is the official Swiss translation.
See the whole paragraph below under reference comments.
http://www.admin.ch/ch/e/rs/2/210.en.pdf

franglish
Switzerland
Local time: 11:37
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 38
Grading comment
Thank you, franglish. It is definitely worth a glossary entry!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Colin Rowe: Agree - as below!
18 hrs
  -> Thank you, Colin. Appreciate your agree.
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Reference comments


1 hr peer agreement (net): +2
Reference: Swiss Civil Code in English

Reference information:
Art. 119
1 A spouse who has changed his or her surname retains the family
surname acquired on marriage unless, within one year of the divorce
decree taking full legal effect, he or she declares before the civil
registrar the wish to revert to the parental surname or the name by
which he or she was known prior to the marriage.
http://www.admin.ch/ch/e/rs/2/210.en.pdf

franglish
Switzerland
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 38

Peer comments on this reference comment (and responses from the reference poster)
agree  Colin Rowe: Well found! The term here, then, would be "parental surname".
4 mins
  -> Indeed, and a very Swiss solution!
agree  Mark Flynn: With Colin, very well found. I think you should post this as an answer.
51 mins
  -> Thank you, Mark. I hesitated to post it but I will do so for glossary purposes.
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