Does the Virgin Mary have a surname?

At the time of Jesus’ birth, surnames as we know them today were not in use. A woman’s identify was classified by her station in life, House and Tribe through her father if she is unmarried, or through her husband if she is married. Genealogy records were meticulously maintained by the Israelites.

In the New Testament, Matthew 1:17, it is noted that The Virgin Mary is identified by her station as wife to Joseph and also through her son Jesus: “Joseph, the husband of Mary, and Mary was the mother of Jesus who is called the Messiah.”

Joseph’s lineage is what is specified in Matthew 1. His lineage identifies his House (House of David) and his Tribe by naming Judah in the Genealogy which are now part of the Virgin Mary’s identify as wife of Joseph. There is some evidence that after a male child’s birth, the woman is also identified with her son because the son would care for his mother after the father’s demise according to Israelite tradition. This clarifies the second half of the scripture passage Matthew 1:16 where it says, “….Mary was the mother of Jesus….” Therefore, Mary would have been known as the wife of Joseph, mother of Jesus who is called the Messiah.

So this approaches an interesting question. Since at the Incarnation, Jesus Christ’s humanity was actually that of the Virgin Mary’s lineage exclusively because Joseph was only His legal father not His biological one, what is Virgin Mary’s genealogy? To answer this question, visit the series of the Mother of God on this blog.