For 16 years I had a five-member-three-surname-family. Blended family. I have always used my own name. My children have their father's of course and my then husband and his son had theirs.

We were constantly scrutinized and at times outright accused of trying to pull a scam - for example things like library cards and family memberships. The assumption was that we were trying to scam two family memberships for one.

Also, my parentage/guardianship of my own children and stepson constantly came into question. Travelling as a family was a nightmare.