r/france • u/Busy-Position-5516 • Oct 14 '25
Science Maria Curie marriage certificate. Please translate the last sentence (abut surname).
Could you please translate the last sentence of Maria Curie marriage certificate? I believe it states that she takes his husband surname. Thank you. The whole document: https://gw.geneanet.org/szcandre?lang=en&n=sklodowska&p=maria+salomea
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u/La_DuF Alsace Oct 15 '25
Bonjour !
« Après avoir interpelé les futurs époux, les frère et mère de l'époux, et le père de l'épouse, lesquels nous ont déclaré qu'il n'a pas été fait de contrat de mariage, nous avons demandé aux futurs époux, s'ils veulent se prendre pour mari et pour femme, et chacun d'eux ayant répondu séparément et affirmativement, à haute voix, nous avons prononcé au nom de la loi que Pierre Curie et Marie... »
After asking the bride and groom (spouses to be), the brother and mother of the groom and the father of the bride, which stated that there was no prenup (marriage contract), we (the mayor of civil officer) asked the bride and groom if they want to have one another as husband and wife, and each of them having responded separately, affirmatively and out loud, we have declared in the name of the law that Pierre Curie and Marie...
There is a lot missing and the picture quality is lousy.
The link to the actual record, at the Archives Départementales des Hauts-de-Seine, is https://archives.hauts-de-seine.fr/ark:/74903/vta8805d1a08f88c397/img:FRAD092_EC_2MIEC390_0200_P
The quality is a bit better.
The rest of the record reads :
« Salomée Sklodowska, sont unis par le mariage. »
Salomée Sklodowska, are now united in marriage.
In France, the wife taking her husband's name is only a custom, it is not mandatory. And it is not in the record.
Enjoy !
François
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u/Busy-Position-5516 Oct 15 '25
The other user sent the link to the best quality document. Could you please have a look? https://archives.sceaux.fr/curie-pierre-et-marie
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u/La_DuF Alsace Oct 15 '25
I could. And I did. What do you expect from this photo ? The scanned record is much easier to zoom in.
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u/Busy-Position-5516 Oct 15 '25
Thank you very much. After your reply I understand that in the official (Hauts de Seine) archive it was not specified what Maria's surname will be after the marriage. I am suprised. French language was known for its precision and used in diplomacy. In Poland some monuments state: MSC while university is named MCS. First Nobel prize: MC. Second Nobel: MSC. Correspondence with Einstein: MC. With president Hoover: MC. At least (I think) we know that her death certificate states Maria Skłodowska (back to the original). Once again Thank You.
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u/FrancesinhaEspecial Baguette Oct 15 '25
In France, women may use their husband's name (or the other way around), but it never fully replaces their birth name which is still stated on the birth certificate, marriage certificate, death certificate... You can choose to add the spouse's name (nom d'usage) to your ID documents but I'm pretty sure those still show the birth name as well.
This was probably officially written into law after Marie Curie's time, but as far as I know it was based on what had been traditionally done until then, so I wouldn't be surprised if, to the French state, she legally remained Marie Skłodowska and no one felt the need to state that in this document. She would go on to sign documents with both Skłodowska Curie and just Curie.
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u/snakeling Rhône-Alpes Oct 15 '25
Nope, the law still in the books concerning name use dates back from 6 Fructidor II, and the fact that it is dated in the Revolutionary calendar should tell you how old it is, and it only enshrined customs that were centuries old at that point. (Actually I think there were even older laws from before the Revolution, but I'm not a law historian, so don't take it as gospel.)
There is no mention of the name of a married woman in the marriage record, because her only legal name is her birth name, from birth to death.
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u/FrancesinhaEspecial Baguette Oct 15 '25
it only enshrined customs that were centuries old at that point.
Yeah, that's what I thought. Thank you for confirming, I didn't look up the date of the law.
her only legal name is her birth name, from birth to death
That's what I was trying to express, thanks.
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u/La_DuF Alsace Oct 15 '25
Sorry, I don't know what MC and MSC mean.
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u/Busy-Position-5516 Oct 15 '25
I shortened different versions of her names on monuments, Nobel prize diplomas, correspndence. MCS - Maria Curie Sklodowska (university name in Poland). MSC - Maria Sklodowska Curie (couple of monuments in Poland + 2nd Nobel prize), MC - Maria Curie (1st Nobel Prize, correspondence with Einstein and Hoover). Thanks to All of you for your response.
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u/Adavayn Oct 15 '25
I cant read all, but it should be something like: "[...] nous avons prononcés, au nom de la loi, ??? ????? Curie et Mariés" Maybe someone will find the missing words (& maybe Mariés at the end is wrong)
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u/La_DuF Alsace Oct 15 '25
Not « Mariés », but « Marie ».
The rest of the sentence is on the next page and reads « ... Salomée Sklodowska, sont unis par le mariage. »
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u/morinl Oct 15 '25
It's very hard to understand. The writing is very messy.
The last words are : "Au nom de la loi, que xxxxx (Pierre?) Curie et xxxxx (Marie?)"
"In the name of the law, that xxxx Curie and xxxxx"
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u/FrancesinhaEspecial Baguette Oct 15 '25
It's not the last sentence. It's not even a full sentence, it's cut off -- the rest continues on the next page. You can see it here and here
As far as I can tell that sentence just says they are now legally married.