Everyone has a Surname (last name), but only a married woman will have a Maiden name (surname prior to marriage)
Your mother's maiden name is her last name (surname) before she married.
Their surname before they were married (and therefore took husbands surname, assuming they were married and chose to do so). Your mother's maiden name is her surname before she got married for the first time and took her husband's surname.
maiden name
Because its the one of the most memorable names. For example, your mother takes your fathers name if they wed and so (unless you pretty much have no interest in your mother) you should know their maiden name. Also because if it were you surname that's easy, to track a mothers maiden name would mean searching through wedding records.
Any surname can be a mother's maiden name. A maiden name is merely the surname a woman uses (typically her father's, given to her at birth) before she marries and takes her husband's surname if she chooses to do so.
Dandle.
maiden name
Hindocha
Gretchen Ludwig was her mothers maiden name
Mother's maiden name:
There is a huge different between a maiden and a virgin. Maidens must be female while virgins may be either female or male.