Civil Partnerships and Changing Your Name

The Civil Partnership Act becomes UK law on 5th December 2005. From that date Civil Partners will acquire very similar rights as married couples. One such right is that Civil Partners will be able to share a common surname, like married couples, free from the usual change of name formalities.

Changing Your Name

A person is at liberty to change their forename and surname whenever they wish. The declaration of a person’s intention to change his or her name may be proven evidenced by a written declaration known as a deed poll. A deed poll provides documentary evidence of the change of name which will enable all documents and records to be changed to the new name. The details on a person’s birth certificate can, however, only be changed in very limited circumstances.

In order to change the name of a child under the age of 16 the deed poll must be signed by all persons having parental responsibility for that child. If a child has attained the age of 16 the deed poll must, except in the case of a child who is female and married, be signed by all persons having parental responsibility for that child and then endorsed with the child’s consent.

A person’s marriage certificate or civil partnership certificate (from 5.12.2005) provides sufficient evidence of a persons change of name. Accordingly there is no need for a person to go through the deed poll formalities in order to change their surname to that of their spouse or partner.

The change of name by an individual has the effect of substituting the new name for the old in all respects.

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