Name change related articles

General introduction to name changes in the UK

This article gives a general introduction to changing your name in the United Kingdom. Includes information about changing your name not only by Deed Poll but also after marriage, forming a civil partnership, separation, divorce, or dissolution of a civil partnership. [Read full article]

Legalising your Deed Poll

If you plan to use your Deed Poll as documentary evidence of your change of name outside of the United Kingdom you will need to have your Deed Poll legalised by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. This article explains in detail how documents are legalised, what the requirements are and why they need to be legalised.
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Changing your name after marriage

When a couple marry, they must make the decision as to wheather or not they want their surname to change. Once this decision is made, there are also other considerations such as who will change their surname (the male, the female or both) and which name will be used. This article gives detailed information on the options available to the newlywed couple.
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Name change after civil partnership

Just as when a couple get married, civil partners must decide whether they want their surname to change. This article covers the specific issues relating to name changes after forming a civil partnership.
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Obtaining a copy of your lost Deed Poll

We are regularly contacted by people who have lost their original change of name documentary evidence (Deed Poll, Statutory Declaration, etc.) and are trying to obtain a copy of the document because they need to provide evidence of a past change of name (when applying for a first passport or driving license, for example). This article deals with the problems of getting a copy of Deed Polls and also offers advice on what to do if you are unable to get a copy of your original.
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