The implications of a person changing his or her surname

I don’t remember any issues when my name was changed through marriage but that was in the early 70’s. I did apply for my passport to be altered but other than that I can’t recall.

You might get a more up to date response on Mumsnet.

You need marriage certificate and a divorce decree absolute for each marriage, in addition to birth certificate.

I changed back to my maiden name when I separated then changed it again when I remarried. Both of my children changed their surname when they reached 18 no problems.

Forgot to say I also refused to have my ex husbands name on my new marriage certificate.

As long as the certificates are available it's OK - nothing like a good old paper trail.

I did get off to a huffy start in a job once when I got married between the interview and the start date - personnel had to redo all the paperwork and were not impressed. Never occurred to me that they might need to know!

I seem to remember that birth surname is asked for or “other” surname, on various official documents so I don’t see why this should be a problem. I have several friends who have reverted to their “maiden surname” so I don’t see why it might be an issue.
Many women to do not necessarily take their husband’s name these days.
I have one D who changed her name on marriage, one who kept her maiden surname for professional use and one who did not change her name at all.

Always kept my maiden name (despite 2 marriages). A pension is based on NI number so that wouldn't be affected. Also as lixy said, there is always the paper trail!

A friend who has an Eastern European birth surname married her first husband and changed her name. When she divorced, she went back to her ‘maiden’ name but remarried and again took his name.
That ended in divorce and she is back to her unusual name now. She’s had no difficulty changing anything formal or financial , except her M&S credit card, which she cancelled after receiving their 4th attempt at updating their records - it was a shambles.

I rather reluctantly changed my name when I married - his was easier to spell and I was tired of spelling my name every time I was asked for it - but I regretted it later and wish I had kept my own name. I can see no good reason to take someone else’s name. I admire my DIL for having kept her own name.

There aren't any problems.

I think if you had used the Search facility, OP you might have found considerable discussion of this and related issues by members of GN who feel this is relevant to them.

I wonder why you have a specific interest in the question?

Does a woman who marries and keeps her birth surname get problems (basically caused by oh oh oh stuffiness and the like from officialdom) as she has not changed her surname upon marriage?

For example, with a school if her children have the surname of their father.

Also, does a woman who marries and keeps her birth surname use the style Ms, Mrs or Miss?

Never had a problem, children didn't either, I've always been Mrs since being married. There are many co-habiting couples these days with different surnames. Incidentally both children have now changed their names by deed poll from their father's surname, to take on family surnames which were lost in the family line, e.g. my mother was an only child.

Pensions/salaries are linked to a person's National Insurance No which doesn't change upon marriage, divorce, change of name etc so there shouldn't be a problem? Or am I mistaken?

DDiL has kept her maiden name. They have been married 20 yers without a problem. Most of the time she just uses her first and family name and doesn't bother with Mrs/Miss/Ms, and doesn't have a problem. OP, I think you are imagining problems where none exist. I am happier just going by name without the prefixes and if I have to choose, I select at random, depending on the mood I am in.

I did try to keep my maiden name back in the 1960s, but gave up in the end as I was told, incorrectly, that I was legally obliged to have my passport and bank account in my marreid name.

If I am widowed I intend to return to my maiden name.

MawtheMerrier wrote I wonder why you have a specific interest in the question?

I just wondered how it all "goes round" as, being male, never having changed my name, it was always quite straightforward. I wondered how it works in situations where someone has changed his or her name, whether upon marriage, divorce, or by deed poll.

How does a woman who changed her surname upon marriage change her surname back to her birth surname? upon divorce? Does she need to change it by registering a deed poll or does she just start using her birth surname again or what please?

Are you a journalist?
"Please discuss??"

Or maybe a short story writer?

Quote StarDreamer Sun 17-Jul-22 19:47:58
I am planning to publish a small book of my own writing myself

RedRidingHood

Are you a journalist?
"Please discuss??"

I am not a journalist.

DD reverted to her 'maiden' (horrid word) after she divorced, her two eldest children have her exhusband's name and her now husband and youngest child have a different name. Everyone copes.

MzOops changed her name a couple of years ago, used her Christian name then added other names and a totally new surname.

She has kept all of the paperwork, from Birth Certificate, marriage certificate, divorce decree and change of name details. All legal documents but I doubt that the Pensions Dept. will have any of it on record.

Heaven knows what will happen when she tries to get her pension!

Heaven knows what will happen when she tries to get her pension

She won’t have any problems if it is, as said, all based on her NI number.

ixion

Or maybe a short story writer?

Quote StarDreamer Sun 17-Jul-22 19:47:58
I am planning to publish a small book of my own writing myself

The planned small book is not a short story. It is just something that I am writing that is quite possibly not of any interest to many (if any) other people, but I can typeset it on my computer to produce a PDF document and pay a fee of well under £100 to have a few copies printed and bound into a small book. So, just like some people choose to pay money to go on holiday, or choose to buy some bottles of wine, or choose to buy an artwork, whether an original painting, a limited edition print or an unlimited edition print and so on, I plan to choose to pay some money to be able to have a printed book of some of my writing.

Oopsadaisy1

MzOops changed her name a couple of years ago, used her Christian name then added other names and a totally new surname.

She has kept all of the paperwork, from Birth Certificate, marriage certificate, divorce decree and change of name details. All legal documents but I doubt that the Pensions Dept. will have any of it on record.

Heaven knows what will happen when she tries to get her pension!

I have found the following.

LINK > www.gov.uk/change-name-deed-poll

LINK > www.gov.uk/change-name-deed-poll/enrol-a-deed-poll-with-the-courts