The Real Names Of The Royal Families

[Kataryn]

Since the abolition of the monarchy the legal surname has indeed been Habsburg-Lothringen, but during the monarchy it was usually considered to be "of Austria".

For instance, as late as the 19th century, several members of the family officially changed their surnames from "of Austria" to "of Austria-Este" in order to inherit the fortune of the Este family of Modena. Refer to the decrees here: The Succession Laws of Modena

During the monarchy all family members had and used titles, not their surname. They all were Archdukes and Archduchesses of Austria and Royal princes/ses of Bohemia and Hungary. That's how they were known by and they used these titles. Few lost the right to them and took other "names", like Johann Salvator of Austria-Tuscany, who became "Johann Orth" or Leopold Salvator, who took the name "Wölfling" as a commoner. But when they needed a surname, they took the Habsburg-Lothringen name, because they had been aware of the name of their dynasty since Maria-Theresia (Habsburg) wed Franz Stephan (Lothringen).

 

[Kataryn]

Searching for "Guelph" in an index of Civil Registrations for England and Wales will produce transcriptions of names used for birth and death registrations of various British royals. For example, Princess Alice of Albany was registered at birth in 1883 as Alice Mary V. A. P. Guelph.

That's right, I looked it up. But that makes me wonder, because in a postem she is identified as "Saxe-Coburg and Gotha" and not "Of Hannover" or "Guelph" - she should be "Wettin" in that case.

 

[CyrilVladisla]

One would assume that Princess Alice would be identified as "Saxe-Coburg and Gotha". Her father and paternal grandfather were of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.

 

[Tatiana Maria]

That's right, I looked it up. But that makes me wonder, because in a postem she is identified as "Saxe-Coburg and Gotha" and not "Of Hannover" or "Guelph" - she should be "Wettin" in that case.

One would assume that Princess Alice would be identified as "Saxe-Coburg and Gotha". Her father and paternal grandfather were of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.

The "postems" are simply notes written by the volunteers who transcribe the entries.

The name in the actual entry is, as seen on the website, "Alice Mary V. A. P. Guelph".

The male-line descendants of Queen Victoria bore the titles of Duchess/Duke of Saxony, Prince/ss of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha from their father. But on those occasions when they used a surname, they used the surname of Queen Victoria: Guelph. (Of course, all of that ended in 1917.)

During the monarchy all family members had and used titles, not their surname. They all were Archdukes and Archduchesses of Austria and Royal princes/ses of Bohemia and Hungary. That's how they were known by and they used these titles. Few lost the right to them and took other "names", like Johann Salvator of Austria-Tuscany, who became "Johann Orth" or Leopold Salvator, who took the name "Wölfling" as a commoner. But when they needed a surname, they took the Habsburg-Lothringen name, because they had been aware of the name of their dynasty since Maria-Theresia (Habsburg) wed Franz Stephan (Lothringen).

The quoted decrees refer to "of Austria-Este" as a surname. I would say that "of Austria" was considered the surname aad Archduke/Archduchess was considered the title, comparable to other German dynasties.

so daß Seine k. und k. Hoheit und Höchstdessen auf Grund der Primogenitur-Erbfolge nächstberufenen Nachkommen aus ebenbürtiger Ehe den Namen Österreich-Este führen und das estensiche mit dem eigenen Wappen vereinigen werden.

(so that HI&RH and those of his issue from equal marriage called after him by primogeniture shall [ bear the name Austria-Este and join the arms of Este with their own.)​

Do you have an example of Habsburg-Lothringen being used as a legal surname prior to the end of the monarchy?

 

[Kataryn]

The quoted decrees refer to "of Austria-Este" as a surname. I would say that "of Austria" was considered the surname aad Archduke/Archduchess was considered the title, comparable to other German dynasties.

so daß Seine k. und k. Hoheit und Höchstdessen auf Grund der Primogenitur-Erbfolge nächstberufenen Nachkommen aus ebenbürtiger Ehe den Namen Österreich-Este führen und das estensiche mit dem eigenen Wappen vereinigen werden.​

​

(so that HI&RH and those of his issue from equal marriage called after him by primogeniture shall [ bear the name Austria-Este and join the arms of Este with their own.)​

Do you have an example of Habsburg-Lothringen being used as a legal surname prior to the end of the monarchy?

I don't see this as saying it's their surname.They wouldn't change their geneological belonging to the family of Habsburg-Lothringen but change the name (title) from of Austria to of Austria-Este (and join their arms). If you see the way history of Germany / France in the Middle Ages, when the Habsburg and Lothringen families became known, is recorded, you'll see that is pretty much only along the lines of what these owned and how they came by their lands, not about family relations. But of course from knowing that you can come to relationships.
It was always clear that HM Maria-Theresia of Bohemia and Hungary, Archduchess of Austria was a Habsburg, that Franz Stephan was the head of the family of Lorraine. It didn't need pointing out apart from works on the family's genealogical heritage. And they exist in abundance! The "legal surname" is a question of the last century, I think, when even Royal familys needed a surname (in case there were members of the family without titles), though I think it may have started with the French revolution where Louis "Capet" was the surname bestowed on Louis XVI. Obviouly the revolutionaries had a clear understanding where Louis came from and who he would be without his titles.