Changing a childs name

simpsonsfan

I changed my son's name to my new husbands name when I remarried. I went to a solicitor and had it changed through the courts. I was told that you cannot officially change a childs name, but the child can be "known" as....... and for all intents and purposes once you get a legal document from the courts you can use the new name. I have since applied for a passport and later a NI card for my son in his new name enclosing the document from the courts and they have all been issued with the "new" surname. The child can change their surname by deed poll when they become 18. I would ring around a few solicitors and get a quote for the work. They do vary a lot in my experience.

Becles

If the father has parental responsibility and refuses the name change, there is little you can do.

I've got 12 and 10 year old boys who want to take their stepDad's and my surname, but my ex refuses permission so they can't do it.

At the moment they are "known as ....." in school and both want to change it legally when they are 16.

Magpie.

My daughter is 3 also, her father is named on her birth certificate and she was first registered with his name.

I changed it by deed poll recently to double barrel it with both our names and I did need her fathers consent.... I wasn't easy to get.

Speak to the CAB but in my experience with a child the same age her father would need to consent.

webitha

my older 2 kids want to change their surnames to my OHs, they are known by it already, they were born before2003 and i was never married to their father, (they refuse to call him dad, as as far as they are concerned my OH is their dad) , he sees them once a year and doesnt have PR, and refuses point blank to pay maintanence, so will it be easy for me to do????

smartie12

webitha wrote: »

my older 2 kids want to change their surnames to my OHs, they are known by it already, they were born before2003 and i was never married to their father, (they refuse to call him dad, as as far as they are concerned my OH is their dad) , he sees them once a year and doesnt have PR, and refuses point blank to pay maintanence, so will it be easy for me to do????

I've changed my 13 year old DS's surname twice:o without his biological father's permission with no problems!

pukkamum

my DH's name was changed by his mum by her having a solicitors letter stating i J..... do renounce on behalf of my son the name..... and he will be known as........ hereafter, his passport etc are in his 'new' name as opposed to the name on his birth cert and he's never hads any probs.
This was thirty years ago though.
His real father refused to agree to an official adoption by his stepafther.

dizziblonde

Mine was done as a child - and because my mother didn't want to have legal issues later in life by just changing what I was known as but me not legally existing under that name - she did it via a solicitor in court. Means that I have the legal bit of paper confirming I exist under the new name if I need it - and now I'm getting married the registrar has suggested I gave notice as Fred X formerly Fred Y just to add an extra link in the paper trail to my new identity - so we've done it that way to conveniently tie up all the names together.

I wouldn't just switch to calling them by a new name because it DOES become a minor pain the rear in future years having a birth certificate in a different name without some paper trail linking to a new name. Even WITH mine being done legally - it can still be annoying at times.

xmaslolly76

Someone above brought up a very good question both my kids were born before the law change the father is on the birth certificate and they have his name i have no intention of changing it but was wondering about the parental responcibility thing as we later married but neither child was reregistered as a child of the marriage does he still automatically get parental rights ?