Genealogy Chat

Hi everyone,

Can anyone tell me when children are born say to a Jones and all named Jones and then their mother marries a second time to say a Smith when they are fairly young and you believe the children have taken now the new father's name, does it have to be re-registered somewhere, if so how do you look it up, or is it classed as an adoption and so you cannot find it. I am having a lot of difficulty in this area.

Thanks everyone

Anne

In most cases, there is no legal paperwork needed for a change of name. Nowadays, it's really just a practical convenience to have some paperwork, although a cutting from the personal ads usually suffices. But it does save problems if you're stopped whilst driving and your name doesn't match the licence, or your plumber's ticket or PhD doesn't match your name.

I think the only exception is for kids whose mother later marries the father. There is then a requirement to re-register the birth, reflecting the new circumstances. However, my guess is that this wasn't done in the majority of cases, and I think the maximum fine that could be imposed was pretty small.

My niece, Sarah Smith, received a Canadian passport. She presented her Canadian birth certificate for Sarah Jones with no father named, and the m.cert of her mum Mary Jones to John Smith. From that point on (aged 8) she was known as Sarah Smith, and filled out the passport application that way. Her doctor signed the form, saying he'd known Sarah Smith for x years. She was born at a time when the mum's nationality didn't really count, so she couldn't have a British passport. John Smith later legally adopted her so she could get a UK passport because he got fed up waiting for her at the airport when she was in the non-Euro lines

Thanks for all that information - very much appreciated.

Anne

If you know their original name, and when they were born, if they were re-registered, it will be handwritten at the bottom of the page containing their original name, and the page where the second surname should be.
ie Mary Smith is registered at birth as Mary Smith. Her mum marries a Jones, and Mary is adopted by him.
This will be recorded by hand of the page containing Mary Smith's original registration, it will also be handwritten at the bottom of the page containing Smiths.
If you only know their adoptive name, this will also be handwritten at the bottom of the relevant page, with a reference to the original registration.
My dad's is, anyway!!