Change of Name Deeds
Sometimes and for a whole host of reasons a person may want to change their name, be it their forenames or surname. Under English Law there is no property in a surname and this can be changed very easily, provided that there is a genuine reason for doing so and it is not with a view to committing a crime, eg fraud. A child's surname can similarly be changed by natural parents, adoptive parents and guardians as long as the child is not subject to a court order prohibiting the change, unless the court orders the proposed change or the estranged parent [usually the father] provides written consent. Therefore a mother of a child not subject to a court order prohibiting a change, can change the name of her child without the natural father's consent if the natural parents of the child were never married.
Forenames can similarly be changed, provided under English Law the person, be they an adult or a child, has not been christened, and again subject in the case of a child to any court orders applying restricting such change, when matters contained in the previous paragraph will similarly apply.
We provide a service to give advice on your needs, the law applying to you or your family's circumstances and to draft the required Change of Name Deed, more often than not, during the first appointment.
