Married Couples Who Keep Separate Surnames Are 50% More Likely to Divorce — Study Claims

A recent analysis by the Institute for Family Studies finds that married couples who keep separate surnames are about 50% more likely to divorce and tend to split roughly 30% earlier than those who share a last name.

The study revealed that spouses with different last names show a roughly 50% higher rate of divorce. When these couples do divorce, it happens about 30% earlier in the marriage.

The research by analyst Lyman Stone reviewed divorce records and survey data, mirroring smaller historical studies on marital naming and duration.

Researchers emphasize that keeping separate surnames does not directly cause a divorce but choosing a shared surname often correlates with higher institutional or social traditionalism, which itself is strongly linked to lower divorce rates.