Institute for Family Studies report links surname sharing to lower divorce rates

An analysis from the Institute for Family Studies reveals that married couples who do not share a last name are 50% more likely to divorce than those who do. According to the report, which utilized 2023 Pew Research Center data and Texas divorce records, couples with different surnames divorce after an average of eight to 10 years, whereas those with the same surname stay together for approximately 12 years before filing.

Report author Lyman Stone suggests that shared names may indicate a ‘team-first approach to marriage’ rooted in commonalities. He also noted that non-shared names might be linked to elopements or hasty weddings. Conversely, the report suggests that bureaucratic hurdles, such as the difficulty of changing a legal name, may discourage some individuals from divorcing if they share a surname.