Growing Up Without a Father and a Pursuit for the Right Surname

In: The open family studies journal, Band 6, Heft 1, S. 31-38

Abstract

Young people who grew up without their biological fathers may or may not use their surnames. This paper
contributes to an understanding of young people's views of the relevance of a biological paternal surname. We conducted
gender-matched in-depth interviews with 73 volunteers aged 14-39 in two South African provinces and transcribed and
translated audio-recorded home language interviews into English. The findings indicate that the pursuit for using a
biological father's surname was motivated by seeking ancestral protection, seeking one's father so that he could play an
overseeing role in rituals, and citizenship rights; some participants believed that the use of a biological father's surname
was essential for registration for an identity document, passport, marriage and death certificate. However, there was no
agreement in the data about the importance and usefulness of using a biological father's surname. In conclusion, the
article maintains that the father's surname is important for some children who grew up without their fathers.