A New Surname after marriage

Lonjas

Hello all,

I am really looking to canvas advice on changing my name. I recently got married to the lady of my dreams, and now we have the dreaded logistical nightmare of changing surnames.

I am not a traditionalist, and we think it would be very nice to start a new tradition and merge our surnames together to make a brand new name. I couldn't bring myself to force her to use my name if she didn't want to or I wouldn't be prepared to take her surname. We aren't looking to double barrel either, so a merger is the preferred route. This then opens up a new can of worms.

Do we do this via Deed Poll? I have looked into the official Government website, but the process seems so long winded - Each needing to find 2 witness who own their own houses, who aren't related and they all have to be at a solicitors office to witness us sign the form.

This feels very convuluted. Do we need to do this? i.e register with the London Gazette etc.

Or do we go via a 3rd party website who can produce a deed poll, we sign it with a witness and then send it off to Passport Office and Banks etc.

One of the key things for me is that the new name will be enrolled and written down in the offical records.

I suppose what I'm looking for, is some more information - we have done plenty of research but I would like to see what our options are, I tried ringing the Government office, but it just rings through for ages with apparently no one on the other end, and it is just a phone sat in the middle of an empty room,.

Any help, advice or tips will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

ariba10

As I understand it you can change your name to anything you want to.

(As long as it is not done for fraudulent purposes)

You would need to inform a lot of people and agencies.

Mojisola

Lonjas wrote: »

One of the key things for me is that the new name will be enrolled and written down in the offical records.

Why is this so important to you? It doesn't make your name change any more official.

Lonjas

Thanks yep I'm aware of that, but more looking for some advice on the best way of doing it?

Do we need to do the Government way fo downloading the forms and getting a solicitor to witness us and 4 witness (all homeowners and known us for 10 years) and then sending them to 'The Queen's Bench'?

Or can we write our own Deed Poll and send it to the Banks and Passport Office? without the need for the first option for it to be official and all registered. We can't seem to find a step by step checklist anywhere or anyone who can answer the questions ha. Which is proving slightly tricky, when trying to make a decision.

Mojisola

https://www.gov.uk/change-name-deed-poll/make-an-adult-deed-poll

Lonjas

Why is this so important to you? It doesn't make your name change any more official.

I honestly, or maybe naively thought it might do this exactly - If this isn't the case then perhaps it isn't as important.

Mojisola

Lonjas wrote: »

I honestly, or maybe naively thought it might do this exactly - If this isn't the case then perhaps it isn't as important.

If you want to leave a paper trail (for future family historians trying to find you!), you could put an advert in the Gazette or one of the other national papers.

anna_1977

did you not think of this before marriage? it would have been a lot easier, having the marriage certificate as proof

sheramber

Posters have reported on here that some banks insist on a official document.

You say you want to start a 'new tradition'. For whom?

Any children you have may have the same attitude and change their name to something else so negating your 'tradition'.

Doody

Lonjas wrote: »

One of the key things for me is that the new name will be enrolled and written down in the offical records.

Hi, in my experience it very useful to have the name change registered. I lost the actual deed poll and when applying for a passport it was needed. Having done our name change via a Deed Poll registered in the Law Courts in the Strand meant that the records were held in the National Archives and I was able to get an authorised copy which saved a lot of trouble.

As we did the name change over thirty years ago, I can't advise on that, sorry. What you describes seems much more involved. Except for one bit of information that might be relevant.

We did it so that my husband retrospectively changed his name on the day of our marriage so I took on his new name, so only one Deed Poll. We did it all ourselves, going from department to department in the Law Courts, buying stamps and getting signatures. I remember somewhere having to declare that I gave permission for his name change.

It's also worth having it nicely presented on decent paper. If this still applies of course. We didn't think of this and all our official stamps and more went onto a rather flimsy bit of paper that had corrections on it that the officials insisted were needed.

If you are doing it via a solicitor I expect they would sort all that out for you.

Wishing you well for your new life together.

bouicca21

Loss of deed poll is actually quite common so if you do it that way pay extra to have it enrolled. As Doody has found out, that makes life a lot simpler.

You can change names without a deed poll, as by common law your name is what you call yourself. It's quite easy when the names are already established - maiden to married and vice versa. I suspect it's a lot more difficult when you are inventing a new one. If you can crack the passport office, you are home and dry, as that is pretty much definitive for everyone else.

I reckon in your case deed poll is going to be easiest.