Genealogy Chat

hi, my dad was fostered NOT adopted, his birth name was ben thomas, when his foster mum got him(my nan) she somehow added her name to his making his name ben thomas-mcarthur, this was never done by deedpoll etc...so as years went by he married my mum had me and my bro and on our birth certs it say surname thomas mcarthur. is this legal?.... do i really exist hahaha..... do u think i should consult a solicitor?..... best wishes alison unknown....

I think the quick answer is that we can call ourselves whatever we like so long as it is not trying to evade the law. I don't think names have to be changed by deed poll. Yours is a perfect example of how surnames have changed over the years and why it is sometimes so difficult to find our ancestors!! :-) Anne

You and your brother are legal as your birth certificate is a legal document that records the name you parents gave you when you were born.

Presumably on your birth certificate it shows the father as Thomas-McArthur as well. I'm sure you exist and that you are legal. I think you would only have to notify the world if you were changing a name by which you were normally known, had entered into contracts under etc. Nice try though - but you'll still have to pay Council Tax etc. LOL Regards Keith

You can change your name to anything you want - there must be dozens of Elvis Presleys out there! As long as you notify anyone who matters you can change your name by usage.

Ann is totaly corect, Your father was know by the name given him by His gran and that is all that is needed to make it Legal

hi, thx to everyone who answered, i feel a bit better now, dont have to phone banks/mortgage company now etc etc.. i might stick 'h.r.h' on the end of my name now lol. best wishes alison

The easiest way to tell is.... Has your dad got a passport.....because if he managed to get one in the name mcarthur you should be safe Rules regarding passports are now much tighter. Hence my sons passport is in his birth fathers surname, even though he had his name changed legally at a solicitors when he was 5 years old. Just another note;- my gran was burried in the name Howison-johnstone in 1979, which was totally incorrect, it should have been Johnstone only. Howison is a christian name used in the family since 1875 in the male line, and an uncle decided to use it at a double barrelled name himself-and he registered the death. Took this matter up with the Governor generals office, and was told that in affect my gran is not dead!!! which is good news as maybe i can ask her the family genealogy in India....which would make my life alot easier.

Hi my mother never married but she assumed her mother's maiden name S. However, her first child (my older brother) had the fathers name on it so he was B.Mc. When I was born (to same father) I was given her new surname S. To save people questions at a new school my brother later became known as BS. It was an issue later when he married but it was sorted out and his wife became Mrs S. There was all sorts of problems years later when he applied for a passport, but this was OK after he signed a Declaration to say he was known as BS. It just goes to show you can call yourself whats you want :-) Cheers Gerry

This thread reminds me of a friend who panicked that she was not really married. When she and her future husband went to see the vicar he asked if they were both baptised and they said yes and named the churches where their christenings had taken place. A few years later my friend was talking to her Mum and found out she had never actually been christened, she just assumed she had as she could remember the christenings of her two much younger brothers. She then worried that she wasn't properly married as she had 'lied' to the vicar!

Denise ... lol! ... just as well that the unfortunate Mary wasn't abandoned in the outside toilet!

Richard.....Mary Loo is not such a bad name !! LOL not so MAry dunny

Neither of my parents were christened and before they married the vicar insisted that they should be. Unfortunately this was to take place the week before the wedding and the vicar fell ill. Consequently they never were christened. Do you think that means I'm illegitimate in theeyes of the church ?

Hi my hubbys surname was worker, however he has always used his step dads name johnson, he has never changed it legally, yet he has his passport, bank and we even got married under the name of johnson, as long as you dont use a name to defraud it is ok, even the children are registered as johnson kimx

My sister and I adopted double-barrelled surnames when my mother remarried. This was done through our choice, and after consulting a solicitor. It is quite legal, and as has been said you are quite entitled to call yourself anything you want as long as it is not offensive, inciting, or for fraudulent purposes. The only problem it gave for me was when my second daughter was born in Germany. I had to make a 'Statutory Declaration' as to when and why my name was changed. This was only because we were abroad when the child was born. Paul

Sorry to hijack your thread but I have a similiar situtation with a living relative and their forename. Birth cert name = Maura Bank account records = Mary Marriage cert = Maureen 2 driving licenses - one UK (Maureen) and one Ireland (Mary) No passport Does anyone know if all the above are legal? Even my current relatives are trying to make research hard for me! Karen