Introduction
Under UK law a person is entitled to change all or any part of his or her name without the permission of any authority and without any formality provided that the use of the assumed name is not for fraudulent purposes. For example, you can change your forenames, surname (or both), add names, remove names, change the spelling of your names or rearrange your existing names.
For official documents and records however, a legal document called a ‘Deed Poll’ is required. This enables a person is able to change his or her name. The Deed Poll will be required as evidence in order to change a name on official documents and records.
At this stage, you may also be interested in reading:
· Change of name FAQs
· Can I change my children’s names?
· Or perhaps you simply want the Deed Poll document
About Deed Polls
A Deed Poll for a change of name contains three declarations and by executing the Deed Poll (signing, dating and having your signing witnessed) you are committing yourself to:
- Abandoning the use of your former name;
- Using your new name only at all times;
- Requiring all persons to address you by your new name only.
Please note, a Deed Poll cannot be used to get birth, marriage, civil partnership, decree absolute or educational certificates changed because these are historical records, which were issued in the correct name.
Registering a Deed Poll
Enrolling (or registering) a Deed Poll in the Central Office of the Supreme Court provides a public record of a person's change of name and is the formal way of changing a person's name, with details of the change being published in the London Gazette. However, it is not necessary to enrol a Deed Poll and since enrolling adds to the cost, many Deed Polls are not enrolled.
Why change name?
For many reasons.. the most popular are:
· Upon separation, a woman wishes to be known by her maiden name before her divorce is finalised.
· An unmarried mother whose child was registered with the father's surname wishes her child to have her surname.
· People who simply don't like their name.
· For any reason to do with marriage or divorce of any partner, hetero or homo sexual.
· People who have been using a different name to their birth name who want to formalise their change of name so that all their official documents and records show their new name.
· One or both partners in a gay or lesbian relationship wish to share the same surname.
· Transsexuals who wish to change their name after a gender change operation.
· Entertainers who want to formally use their stage name.
So long as you are not changing your name for fraudulent purposes, it doesn't matter what the reason is.
Who can apply for a Deed Poll?
In the UK, A Deed Poll can be entered into by any UK citizen over the age of 16. To change the name of someone below the age of 16 (a "minor") the Deed Poll must be executed by a person or persons with parental responsibility for the minor and all those with parental responsibility for the minor must consent to the change of name.
Restrictions on names
There are no laws in the United Kingdom relating to unsuitable names, there are restrictions we impose on what you can change your name to.
The following are unsuitable: Names which …
- are impossible to pronounce,
- include numbers or symbols,
- include punctuation marks (although you can have a hyphen to link forenames or surnames and an apostrophe in the case of surnames like O'Brien).
- are considered vulgar, offensive, blasphemous or unsuitable,
- may result in others believing you have a conferred or inherited honour, title or rank, for example, a change of first name to Sir, Lord, Laird, Lady, Prince, Princess, Baron, Baroness, Count, Countess, General, Colonel;
- do not include at least one forename and one surname.
Title restrictions
If you are changing your name, you can also include on your Deed Poll a change of title, for example Mrs to Miss. If you require a title other than Mr, Mrs, Miss or Ms, you will need to send documentary evidence of your entitlement to use your desired title to the places you wish you new name to be notified. Foe example, if you require Dr as your new title and you are a medical doctor, you only need to advise the institution of your GMC reference number.
Is a Deed Poll registered anywhere?
No. There is no central register of name changes in the United Kingdom. Deed Polls are not registered anywhere unless they are "enrolled" i.e. lodged for safe keeping, in the Close Rolls of the Chancery (from 1851 to 1902) and from 1903, in the Enrolment Books of the Supreme Court of Judicature, which is located within the Royal Courts of Justice in the Strand, London.
Enrolling a Deed Poll provides a public record of a person's name change and since 1914 the details of the name change are published in either the London or Belfast Gazette newspapers. Note, if you enroll, your name and address will be published on the London Gazette's website for all to see. It is not a requirement to enrol a Deed Poll. Enrollment adds to the cost and the time taken to change a person's name.
Who to advise after changing your name
After changing your name by Deed Poll, you must notify everyone that has your personal records to let them know you have changed your name. Government departments and agencies such as the Passport Office and the DVLA will need to see your original Deed Poll document (or legal copy) as will your bank, building society and credit card companies. Most other companies and organisations will accept a photocopy. If you have changed the name of your child, you will also be required to provide the letter of consent, which we return when we send you your Deed Poll documentation.
In the Net Lawman pack ‘Change of Name Deed’, we provide a list of institutions to which you should consider sending a copy of your change of name deed.
Relevant Net Lawman document templates:
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