What was Marie Curie's birth surname?

Marie Curie’s birth surname was Skłodowska.

She was born Maria Salomea Skłodowska in Warsaw on 7 November 1867, when the city was part of the Russian Empire. “Curie” was the surname she acquired through marriage to the French physicist Pierre Curie in 1895. Her full professional name is often rendered Maria Skłodowska-Curie or Marie Skłodowska Curie.

The surname reflects Polish naming conventions: Skłodowska is the feminine form associated with Skłodowski. Marie retained a strong Polish identity throughout her life, even after becoming a naturalised French citizen. She later named polonium after Poland, her homeland, during her work with Pierre on radioactive substances.

A common mix-up is to give “Curie” as her birth name. Curie was her married surname, while Skłodowska identifies her family origins. Spellings without the Polish ł and accent, such as Sklodowska, are common in English-language contexts, but the standard Polish form is Skłodowska.