What You Should Consider When Changing Your Name

20 October 2007

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Your Options...
You Can Take your husbands surname
On getting married you will receive a Marriage Certificate. This document legally entitles you to change your surname to that of your husbands (as it appears on the marriage certificate). You will need to send your marriage certificate along with an accompanying letter to any person or organisation who has an interest in your identity, explaining that you wish from here onwards to be referred to by your new name. When you notify the Passport Office and the DVLA (Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency) they will request that you send your original marriage certificate, therefore it might be advisable to obtain several marriage certificates on your wedding day.

You Can Keep your current surname
When you get married you are not obliged to take your husbands name if you do not want to. Consequently if you intend to keep your current surname you do not need to contact anyone.

You Can Keep you current surname but change your title? You may want to keep your current surname but change your title to Mrs, in which case you will need to send your marriage certificate along with an accompanying letter to any person or organisation who has an interest in your identity. It will not be necessary to notify the Passport Office or the DVLA as your title does not appear on either of these documents.

You Can Change your name to a double-barrelled surname
If you would still like to retain your family surname after marriage but would also like to take your husbands surname then having a double-barrelled surname would be a good compromise. The womans surname traditionally goes first followed by a hyphen if you so wish and then followed by the husbands surname. However many women will choose the order of the surnames depending on which sounds better.

You Can Keep your surname as a middle name
Another way of you still holding onto your family name is for it to become a middle name.

For example if your current name is Mary Robertson and your husbands name is Philips your new name would be Mary Robertson Philips. This is made possible by changing your name by Deed Poll.

Retain your maiden name for work purposes and use your husbands name for everything else.

If you would like to continue to use your maiden name at work all you need do is notify your employer in writing that you wish to retain your maiden name at work, and notify them of the change in your bank account details.

You Should Imform.....On Your Name Change...
Employer
Inland Revenue for tax and NI records (obtain your reference and tax office address from your employer)
Bank (mortgage and/or saving accounts)
Building Society (mortgage and/or saving accounts)
Credit card companies
Finance/loan companies
Local Authority (Council tax and register of electors)
Department of Work and Pensions (if you are entitled to any benefits)
Police (if you have any criminal actions against you or are on the Sex Offenders’ Registry)
HM Land Registry (if you own land or property)
Pension providers
Passport Office (apply for a name passport)
DVLA (apply for a new drivers license)
Motoring organisations (breakdown organisations)
Utility services (ie. Gas, electricity, water and sewerage providers)
Telephone provider
Internet provider
Mobile phone provider
Royal Mail
Insurance companies (buildings, life, motor, endowments, contents etc.)
Premium Bonds Office
Mail-order companies
Doctor
Dentist
Vets (if applicable)
TV license Office
School/college/university
Professional Institutes and bodies
Library
Clubs, societies and associations
Magazine subscriptions
If either or both of you have a will, this should be reviewed after you are married.