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About Deed Polls
What is a Deed Poll?
Why is it called a Deed Poll?
What is the purpose of a Deed Poll?
Who can apply for a Deed Poll?
Can I change my children's names?
Are there any restrictions on names?
Is a Deed Poll registered anywhere?
Can a birth certificate be changed?
Why do people change their name?
Answers to other FAQs
Applying for a Deed Poll
How to apply
Services available and fees
Services for previous clients
Apply for a copy of your archived Deed Poll
Apply for a replacement Deed Poll
General name change information
Introduction
A woman's rights upon marriage
A man's rights upon marriage
A couple's rights upon a civil partnership
A woman's rights upon separation
A woman's rights upon divorce
A woman's rights upon being widowed
A child's rights upon adoption
Adding a middle name
Advice for transsexuals
More than a change of name...
Changing your name on your passport
Obtaining a copy of your lost Deed Poll
Who to advise after changing your name
UK Deed Poll Service
Contact us
What our clients say about us
What the media says about us
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions and your rights
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General name change information
A couple's name change rights and options upon a civil partnership
There is no legal requirement for either of the couple to change their
surname upon entering into a civil partnership. However, most couples do decide to share
the same surname.
There are two options available to the couple that do not require a Deed
Poll, which mirror the traditional rights afforded to married couples:
- To continue using their names, or
- One of the couple to change their surname to their partner's surname.
If one of the couple wishes to change their surname to the other's surname, the civil
partnership certificate provides the necessary documentary evidence of the change of surname.
By sending the civil partnership certificate to all concerned, the person's documents and
records will be changed to show the new surname.
Other options to consider...
If one of the couple does not wish to take their partner's surname, the
following three options should be considered:
1. Double-barrelling your surnames
A double-barrelled surname uses both couples' surnames. The two
elements of the new surname can be linked by a hyphen or kept separate e.g.
John SMITH-JONES or John SMITH JONES. It is personal choice whether a hyphen is
used and which order the names are placed. However, most couples will
find that one way sounds better than the other when the new
double-barrelled surname is spoken.
Should either or
both of the couple decide to have a double-barrelled surname a Deed Poll is
usually required. Although some companies and organisations will change their
records to show a double-barrelled surname upon presentation of the civil
partnership
certificate, many will not, particularly the financial institutions (just as
they require a Deed Poll to double-barrel the surnames of married couples). A Deed Poll will
guarantee that the surname you choose
will be accepted by everyone without question. Please note, all
government departments, including the Passport Office
and DVLA, will accept a civil partnership certificate as documentary
evidence of a change to a double-barrelled surname (for both partners).
The only way to find out if you need a Deed Poll is to contact everyone you
deal with, for example, your bank, building society, credit card company and
mortgage company etc and ask what their policy is for double-barrelling
surnames following a civil partnership. No doubt, in time, companies
and organisations that currently do not allow double-barrelling using a
civil partnership certificate will review their name change policy and
follow the lead taken by the government.
If you decide to
apply for Deed Polls to double-barrel your surname, there are two options to
consider in respect of the timing of your applications:
- 1.1 Apply in advance of your ceremony
If you wish to sign your Deed Poll documents immediately following your ceremony, you
should apply for your Deed Polls at least three weeks before your ceremony.
When you apply, please tell us the date of your ceremony by using the comments box on the
application form. We will then date your
Deed Polls with the date of your ceremony, which looks so much better than hand
writing the date when you sign your Deed Poll documents. After you
sign your Deed Polls,
you will keep them safe until you return from your honeymoon and are ready to start the process of letting everyone know of your change of
surname.
- 1.2 Apply after your ceremony
If you do not wish to sign your Deed Polls immediately following your ceremony, you can
apply for your Deed Polls at any time following your ceremony. When your
Deed Polls arrive, you can start the process of letting everyone know of
your change of name. You can
of course still apply before your ceremony if you wish, particularly if
you want your Deed Poll documents to hand for signing upon your return
from your honeymoon.
If the couple are changing their surname to a double-barrelled surname
and Deed Polls are required,
the cost of a second Deed Poll can be avoided if one partner changes their
surname to the double-barrelled surname before the ceremony (this must be
done well before giving notice to a register office so there is sufficient
time to get all documents and records changed to the new double-barrelled
surname). Consequently, the new double-barrelled surname will
appear on the civil partnership certificate for one partner thus enabling
the other partner to use the certificate to get their surname changed to the
double-barrelled surname without a Deed Poll.
2.
Making one partner's surname a middle name for both partners
If a couple wish to share the same surname but do not want a
double-barrelled surname, one partner could take the surname of the other
partner but both partners could make the dropped surname a middle name.
Consequently, the dropped surname is not totally abandoned and a link to the
dropped family name is preserved. For example, if John SMITH forms a
civil partnership with Alan JONES and John takes Alan's surname, the couple
could change their names to John Smith JONES and Alan Smith JONES.
This can only be done by Deed Poll.
If you intend taking the above course
of action, the same timing considerations apply as discussed in sections 1.1
and 1.2 above. Because your names are changing by Deed Poll, you do not
need to show your civil partnership certificate to anyone - only your Deed Poll
document.
In your covering letter (when notifying everyone of your name change by Deed
Poll), you
simply need to mention your civil partnership so your marital status (civil
partner) can also be updated on your documents and records.
3.
Choose a new surname for both partners
Couples who are not happy about using a double-barrelled surname
or using use one of the couple's surname following their civil partnership
are deciding to have a totally new surname. The new surname maybe a
name they like the sound of or a combination of a part of each of the
couple's current surnames (known as "meshing"). Also, couples who decide upon a new surname
often make their current surname a middle name, thereby maintaining a link
to their family name.
If you intend taking the above course of action, you must both apply for
a Deed Poll and the same timing considerations apply as discussed in
sections 1.1 and 1.2 above. Because your names are changing by Deed
Poll, you do not need to show your civil partnership certificate to anyone -
only your Deed Poll document. In your covering letter (when notifying
everyone of your name change by Deed Poll), you simply need to mention your
civil partnership so your marital status (civil partner) can also be updated
on your documents and records.
Changing your title following your civil partnership
If a female couple wish to change their title from Ms or Miss to Mrs, this
can done by incorporating a change of title declaration on the couple's Deed
Poll document. The Deed Poll application form has provision for
changing your title.
Last updated: 8 March 2006
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