I have deleted my original question because in the meantime I have discovered the correct answer. Originally I had asked whether the married name should be entered in the section „Preferred Name" in the box „multiple surnames" or in the lower part of the person dialogue under „General" in the tab „Names". The latter is the correct place; there one can choose the type „married name" (in German „Ehename"). I assume one can leave the filed „First names" empty. The field „Multiple Surnames", under „Preferred Name" is for composed surnames, perhaps for the Spanish way of naming. So in the upper part of the person dialogue, with heading „Preferred Name", I choose the type „Birth Name" (it is customary in genealogy to use the birth name for identification), and the married name I add under „General" in the tab „Names". Correct?
I believe that it is better to not leave blank Given names in the Alternative names.
For many women of the time, they were known by their husband’s name during the marriage. So for the following example (where Frances Lucille “Babe” Reed married Eugene Stanley in 1921, then William Jordan in 1937 and widowed in 1978)
So you might choose to create 3 alternative names. Where she was known by her Birth name until her 1st marriage. Then by her 1st married name (Mrs. Gene Stanley) between marriage 1 and 2. Then by her 2nd husband’s name (Mrs.Bill Jordan) until his death. Then as “the Widow Lucy Stanley-Jordan” until her death.
Thank you for the advice. For the record, I will restate the solution:
As the ‘Preferred Name’ in the People dialog, the birth name is generally used in genealogy; therefore, for married women, use the maiden name. I set the Origin to ‘Patrilineal’. This name is suitable for identification because it conveys family origin and because a person may have several married names during her life.
Enter the married names, including the given (first) names, as alternative names, with the date ‘from … to …’, with Type ‘Married Name’ and Origin ‘Taken’ or ‘Given’.
