Maiden and married names

With a landmark ruling by the Constitutional Court entering into force on Jan. 28, married women are now able to use their maiden surname without resorting to court proceedings.

The Constitutional Court has annulled a decree in the Civil Code that a woman should take her husband's surname after marriage on the grounds that it is contrary to the principle of equality.

With this decision, which will enter into force after nine months, women will not need to file a lawsuit in order to use only their celibate surnames after marriage.

Turkey's Court of Cassation ruled on April 9 that divorced women who have custody rights over their children can legally request for them to be given their maiden name.

Women in Turkey will not have to take their husbands' surnames after getting married, according to a new ruling by the Supreme Court of Appeals.

The ruling by the court's General Assembly of Civil Chambers confirmed a Sept. 30, 2015 decision that allowed Turkish women to apply to a family court to keep their maiden name after marriage.

For the first time ever and contrary to its earlier decisions on the issue in the past, Turkey's Supreme Court of Appeals has ruled that women will be able to use only their maiden surname after marriage.