Family Historian User Group

Hi,
I have just purchased version 7, and watched the video on Witnesses on the FH web site.
I added my mother and mother-in-law as witnesses to my marriage (they were the official witnesses who signed the marriage certificate).
However when I look at my marriage event they are shown as witnesses with their given names and maiden surnames.
Is there an option somewhere in FH to have the witnesses shown with their married surnames instead?
Thanks
Ray

Welcome to the FHUG Ray.

That is a perennial question, and the answer is quite complicated.

As you probably know all Individuals in genealogy are recorded with their Birth Names.
To determine their Name on a particular date is difficult.
Who were they married to on that date bearing in mind multiple marriages, divorce, separation, widowhood, etc?
When married did they adopt the husband's surname or a joint hyphenated surname?
In their culture does the husband adopt the wife's surname?
When a marriage ends for whatever reason did they keep their married name or not?
Have they changed their name by deed poll?

That explains why FH does not attempt to automatically guess the married name of people.

There are some workarounds if it is really important to see the married name, but the techniques vary depending on where you want the name to appear ~ Facts tab, Narrative Sentence, Report, Diagram, etc.

You could always add them using the 'Name Only' option in witnesses and then add a note to the effect that they are your mother/mother-in-law giving their maiden name and Record ID in a note. Maybe not how you would want it, but it would give you the name the way you want it.

Would it not be enough for a transcript of the certificate to show the married names?

Not all witnesses are on my tree only those related.
If a maiden name appears all you ned to do is look up the name on your index and you will then find the married name.
Personally I am not bothered about the witness name and one only has to look at the certificate to find the married name
Victor

Thank you for the comments and suggestions.
Regards
Ray