Changing your name after marriage

It is traditional for a woman to take her husbands surname upon marriage. However, there is no legal requirement to take the husbands surname and we find that many couples are now deciding to take another route.

Leaving your names exactly as they are

There is no legal requirement for either person to change their name after marriage and many couples decide to just keep using their current names. If you decide to go down this route, you do not need to follow any procedure because your legal name is not changing. If desired, women can still change their title to "Mrs" to indicate that they are married but again, there is no legal requirement for this. We should point out that even if you elect to keep using your own surname and do not change your title to "Mrs", when asked about your marital status, you must say that you are married.

Taking your partner's surname in place of your own

For women: If you wish to take your husband's surname after marriage you will NOT need to apply for a Deed Poll. This is because the marriage certificate will provide the documentary evidence of your change of name needed to have your documents and records amended. You must send a copy of your marriage certificate to everyone that holds your personal records along with a letter explaining that upon marriage you have decided to take your husbands surname. If you are also changing your title to "Mrs" it is advisable that you also mention it on the letter so that both pieces of information can be updated at the same time. Authorities that issue identification documents such as the Identity and Passport Service and the DVLA will require sight of your original marriage certificate so it is advisable that you purchase extra certificates from whoever conducts your ceremony.

For men: Some men decide they want to assume their wife's surname in place of their own. If you wish to pursue this route you will most likely need a Deed Poll in order to make the change. While many government agencies (such as the Identity and Passport Service) will accept your marriage certificate as documentary evidence of your name change, many private organisations, such as banks and building societies will not. By applying for a Deed Poll you will guarantee that your name change will be accepted by all organisations within the United Kingdom.

Taking your partner's surname while making your existing surname into a middle name

For women: If you wish to take your husband's surname upon marriage but would still like to maintain a connection to your maiden name, you might consider making your maiden name into a middle name. For example, if your name is currently Jane Louise SMITH and you are marrying John Stephen WAKEFIELD, you could change your name to Jane Louise Smith WAKEFIELD (surname denoted by capital letters). A Deed Poll will be required in order to make such a change.

For men: As above, if you are going to take your wife's surname upon marriage but would like to maintain a connection with your family name, you could make your current surname into a middle name. For example, if your name is currently John Stephen WAKEFIELD and you are marrying Jane Louise SMITH, you could change your name to John Stephen Wakefield SMITH (surname denoted by capital letters). In order to make this change you would need to apply for a Deed Poll.

Double-barrelling both surnames

It has become increasingly common for couples to use both surnames after marriage in the form of a double-barrelled surname. For example, if John Stephen WAKEFIELD and Jane Louise SMITH married and wanted to go down the double-barreling route, the resulting surname would be WAKEFIELD-SMITH or SMITH-WAKEFIELD. Please note, it is entirely the couple's choice as to which order the surnames appear. Most decide the order by which sounds better when the name is spoken. You also have the choice as to whether or not you join the two surnames with a hyphen (-).

If you wish to double-barrel your surnames, a Deed Poll will likely be needed for a women and almost certainly required for a man. While some government agencies will amend their records to show your new double-barrelled surname upon presentation of the marriage certificate, many other organisations will not. It is therefore highly recommended that you both apply for Deed Polls in order to ensure that your name change is accepted universally.

Creation of a new surname from two existing ones

While somewhat less common than the previously mentioned ideas for changing your name upon marriage, you may want to consider merging both of your surnames together thereby creating a new name. For example, Jane Louise SMITH and John Stephen WAKEFIELD could merge their names together to make SMITHFIELD. In order to change your names like this you will both need to execute Deed Polls.

Due to the fact that a Deed Poll will be required for you to change your name in this manner you can also make other modifications to your name at the same time. For example, you might want to make your respective old surnames into middle names. So, in this example, John would become John Steven Wakefield SMITHFIELD and Jane would become Jane Louise Smith SMITHFIELD.

Advice on applying for your Deed Poll for use on your wedding day

If you plan to execute (sign) your Deed Polls on the day of your wedding, either immediately after the ceremony or later on during the celebrations, you should apply for the Deed Polls at least two weeks in advance in order to allow for any delays or questions. When making your application(s) you may wish to tell us the date of your wedding in the additional comments box so that we can print the date on your documents rather than you having to hand write it.

Changing your title after marriage (women)

Though it it traditional to change your title to Mrs upon marriage to indicate your marital status, it is not a requirement. You are free to choose which ever title (Miss, Ms, Mrs) you desire. However, if you are planning to change your title to Mrs once you are married, the below advice may be helpful to you:

Taking your husband's surname

If you are simply taking your husband's surname as per tradition, you can simply request that your title also be updated when you send a letter to all the organisations which hold your personal information. You should also include a copy of your marriage certificate as proof.

Choosing a method which requires a Deed Poll

If your chosen name change requires that you execute (sign) a Deed Poll in order for it to be accepted, we can include a change of title declaration on your Deed Poll document. We will also include an example letter for you to to send out to organisations requesting that both your name and title be amended.