I married in 1974. I had a baby not his out of wedlock so my parents wanted me to make up a last name and say he left me after we secretly married. I never was married for real until 1974, never really had my last name changed legally just called myself a name and did not use my birth last name. Got married as I said in 1974 using made up last name. So my question is was I legally married in 1974 since my name was never legally changed?

So what your telling us just to be clear is that you knew you had an assumed name and you signed it to a legal document? What other documents did you sign and use that name for?

If you signed a false name to a marriage license, that license may not be valid. On the other hand, if you have lived as husband and wife for almost 40 years, I doubt if any court would void the marriage.

I would be more concerned about what social security and the IRS has to say about your name change.

Got married as I said in 1974 using made up last name.

In my opinion, that marriage was valid. One can call herself whatever one wants to call herself (The requirement of a "legal" name change is generally only necessary to change official documents.), and this was even more so back in 1974 when we didn't have DHS and the paranoia that goes with it (assuming you are in the US).

Assuming you didn't subsequently get a divorce or anullment, and assuming that your husband is still alive, yes you are married.