Genealogy Chat

Hello All Can anyone tell me if there was an official way to change surnames after birth or did they just do it. The reason I am asking is that my Great Uncle John at has been given his mother's maiden name as a surname. However, by the time he gets married he has his father's surname and also at death, which has the correct birth date for him. My Great Grandparents were married after he was born. I have looked in the BMD and cannot find another birth registeration for him with the new surname after they were married - did people just change their surnames? Any help gratefully received. Kind regards Sue

Hi Susan - I have exactly the same with a chap in my tree. His first appearance on a census is as James Hicklin, the following census he is James Finch...his parents Samuel Finch and Sarah Hicklin didn't marry until 10 yrs after he was born, but I can't find any record of his birth to confirm what his surname really was!! I think you will find people changed their name fairly freely without any official registration being needed, but usually whichever name they use tends to be in line with who they are living with at the time. (thats what I've found at least - I could be wrong!!)

It was pretty easy to change your name in the old days before computers! It was pretty hard to tell your intended that your mother was unmarried and you were illigitimate! Best not risk getting jilted, invent a father quick!

Susan Then, as now, people can legally change their names through deed polls. Then, as now, people can legally change their names without any legal formalities. As long as they stick to the changed version and have no intent to defraud, that's fine (if it upsets future family historians that's annoying, but it's not a crime!) nell

We had the same in our family, granddad's cousin was born before this parents marriage, as this was just after a census I didn't know the wife's name she had died before the next census, but the son was there with his step mum and brothers. I did find the his parents marriage 2 months after the birth and his birth under his mothers name, he always used his fathers name. Irene

I have one whose birth was registered in her mothers name, mother was unmarried, then mother married and she was christened in the married name with mother and her husband down as parents. Then that split up and mother got a new partner ( they did not get married but mother took his name) so she was married in the new partner's name and low and behold when I get her death cert there is yet another name for her father. It makes it interesting trying to follow her!! Oh I have forgotten to say that she was born in 1861! There is nothing new under the sun!! Christine in NZ

I have found that an illegitemate child would, to all intenet and purpose, have his/her name changed on the marriage of the parents - or the marriage of the mother when the name of a father was not shown on a birth certificate. A child could also have a name change if a man married and took on board the children of the woman - the child would not suffer any problems until asked to produce birth cert for a job or passport etc., but even now the authorities do accept such changes on sight of the mothers marriage cert. It is possible for the man to adopt the children of his new partner but I believe that this also requires the acceptance of the birth father.