Children Receiving Mother's Name.

[screaming--pink.livejournal.com]

I remember reading somewhere that children traditionally were automatically given the surname of the mother.. stemming from Peasant/Noble times. Does this sound familiar to anybody? If I'm wrong, let me know, too. I just know I've heard something at some point or another that goes against traditional belief in society about a child having the father's last name.

ETA: I'm referring mostly to cases where the mother is unwed/kept her maiden name/has a different last name than the father.