Thanks for bringing this up, I never thought about it, but it could be very important to future generations.

My opinion, after finding several quilts that have NO names on them, and trying to figure out the family history on my dad's moms side, is to use both your maiden name and your married name. You are not only who you are after marriage but part of your maiden family as well.

I ALWAYS use my maiden name. I have used it as my middle name since I got married. I sign all papers with just the initial, but print out the full name on all quilt labels. I also put the date it was finished and my city and state. If it was given to someone, I include all of that information also.

A few women, professional women and women who made their names before marrying don't change their names, but I think most do.

I hate it that women change their names, it makes them really hard to find later- but then again, maybe that is why they do it!

I put my maiden name on Facebook along with my married name in case any old friends are trying to find me...

I put my maiden name and married name on my quilts even tho I am no longer married.

I never really thought about it. I've always signed them
Phadrea (maiden name initial) (married name)
My middle name is my maiden name since getting married.
But then again, this is how I sign most everything.

I always use my maiden name. Was married for almost 18 years to my ex-husband, and at the time used both names. Even though I am remarried I use maiden name exclusively on my quilts now. I want people to be able to see who I was and where I came from,

This discussion of taking our husband's name is interesting... My daughter recently married. On the marriage license, nowhere did it state the name after marriage, only the legal names of those getting married. She has had some interesting times getting people to accept her by her husband's name. So we called the courthouse. They said our state assumes the woman will change her name. Interesting the differences in assumptions.

Oh, and she now uses both names on quilt labels.

Since I go by two different names, Margaret Jean to my family and Marge to my friends, if the quilt is going to a family member, I use Margaret and if it's for a friend, I use Marge. When I make the family reunion quilts every other year, I put Sarringar-Larson family reunion, then my name, city and state, plus July 4th and year. I never thought to use my maiden name on my quilts, mainly because most people can't pronounce my maiden name and my married name is somewhat easier to say and remember. Guess that's sort of an ambivalent answer, but there you go.

I put my maiden & married names on quilt labels for family members so that it can be traced through the family later.