(STUDY FINDS) -- PORTLAND, Ore. — Recent years have seen a significant cultural shift towards challenging old traditions and antiquated ways of thinking. From the debates surrounding civil war-era statues in the south to the #MeToo movement, it feels like a new generation of Americans are more willing than ever to challenge the status quo. One time-honored tradition regarding marriage is the bride taking on the last name of her new husband, but more women are opting to keep their last names after tying the knot. Moreover, while it is still a generally rare occurrence, some men are actually choosing to take their wife’s last name. Interestingly, a study conducted at Portland State University finds that men who change their surnames after getting married tend to be less educated.
The research team, led by PSU sociology professor Emily Fitzgibbons Shafer, analyzed data from a nationally representative survey that had asked 877 men about any changes they made to their surname following their most recent marriage.