Editing Name change (section)

==United Kingdom==
[[File:Deed_Poll_of_Change_of_Name.jpg|thumb|right|A Deed Poll for Change of Name, drawn up in England from a private company.]]
In the [[United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland|United Kingdom]], citizens and residents have the freedom to change their names with relative ease.

In theory, anyone who is at least 16 and resident in the United Kingdom can call themselves whatever they wish. <ref>https://deedpolldepartment.co.uk/age-requirements-to-change-your-name-in-the-uk/</ref> However, over the past hundred years or so, formal procedures that are recognised by record holders such as government departments, companies and organizations have evolved, which enable someone to change the name recorded on their passport, driving licence, tax and [[National Insurance]] records, bank and credit cards, etc., provided that "documentary evidence" of a change of name is provided. Documents such as birth, marriage and educational certificates cannot be changed because these documents are considered "matters of fact", which means that they were correct at the time they were issued.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gingerbread.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Changing-a-child%E2%80%99s-name-or-birth-certificate.pdf |title=Changing a Child's Name or Birth Certificate |date=January 2017 |website=[[Gingerbread (charity)|Gingerbread]] |access-date=July 13, 2021}}</ref> However, exceptions exist, such as holders of a [[Gender Recognition Act 2004|Gender Recognition Certificate]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://deedpolloffice.com/advice/transgender |title=Advice for Transgender People |website=Deed Poll Office |access-date=July 13, 2021}}</ref>

Documentary evidence of a change of name can be in a number of forms, such as a marriage certificate, [[decree absolute]] (proof of divorce), [[civil partnership]] certificate, [[statutory declaration]] or [[deed of change of name]]. Such documents are mere evidence that a change of name has occurred and they do not themselves operate to change a person's name. Deeds of change of name are by far the most commonly used method of providing evidence of a change of name other than changing a woman's surname after marriage. A [[deed poll]] is a legal document that binds a single person to a particular course of action (in this case, changing one's name for all purposes). The term 'deed' is common to signed, written agreements that have been shown to all concerned parties. 'Poll' is an old legal term referring to official documents that had cut edges (were polled) so that they were straight.<ref name="auto">{{cite web |url=http://www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/cms/files/deedpolls_notes_0308.doc |title=Enrolling a Name Change in the Royal Courts of Justice |date=March 2008 |website=Her Majesty's Courts Service |access-date=September 12, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081002143613/http://www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/cms/files/deedpolls_notes_0308.doc |archive-date=October 2, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/cms/9805.htm#deed_polls |title=Judgement and Orders Section § Deed Polls |date=March 26, 2008 |website=Her Majesty's Courts Service |access-date=September 12, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606115033/http://www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/cms/9805.htm |archive-date=June 6, 2011}}</ref>

===England and Wales===
{{See also|College of Arms#Change of names}}
People whose births are registered in England and Wales may, but are under no obligation to, have their deed poll enrolled at the [[Royal Courts of Justice]] in London.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://deedpolloffice.com/pdf/phillimore_and_fry_index.pdf |first1=W. P. W. |last1=Phillimore |first2=Edw. Alex. |last2=Fry |name-list-style=amp |date=1905 |title=An Index to Changes of Name Under Authority of Act of Parliament or Royal Licence and including Irregular Changes from I George III to 64 Victoria, 1760 to 1901 |location=London, UK |publisher=Phillimore & Co. |via=Deed Poll Office}}</ref><ref name="auto" />

===Scotland===
Residents of Scotland can change their name by deed poll or statutory declaration. Scottish-born/adopted people may optionally apply to the [[Registrar General for Scotland]] to have their birth certificate amended to show the new name and have the respective register updated.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.scotsman.com/news/opinion/columnists/andrew-paterson-your-name-your-choice-its-matter-declaration-303591 |title=Andrew Paterson: Your name, your choice: it's a matter of declaration |date=April 16, 2018 |newspaper=[[The Scotsman]] |access-date=July 15, 2020 |language=en}}</ref> There is also an alternative route to changing one's name in Scotland, equivalent to enrolling a deed poll with the [[College of Arms]]; one may petition the [[Court of the Lord Lyon]] for a name change and subsequently receive a Certificate of Recognition of Change of Name.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.murraybeith.co.uk/new/News/alternative-routes-to-changing-your-name.html |title=Alternative Routes to Changing your Name |website=MurrayBeith.co.uk |date=May 10, 2018 |language=en-gb |access-date=July 15, 2020}}</ref>

===Historical usage===
{{See also|Double-barrelled name#British tradition}}
From the medieval age to the 19th century, the era of family dynasties, name changes were frequently demanded of heirs in the last wills and testaments, legacies and bequests, of members of the gentry and nobility who were the last males of their bloodline. Such persons frequently selected a younger nephew or cousin as the heir to their estates, on condition that he should adopt the surname and armorials of the legator in lieu of his patronymic. Thus, the ancient family otherwise destined to extinction would appear to continue as a great dynasty in the making.

Such changes were also more rarely demanded by [[marriage settlement]]s, for example where the father of a sole daughter and heiress demanded that as a condition of his daughter's [[dowry]] her husband should adopt his father-in-law's surname and arms. Thus the progeny of the marriage would continue the otherwise extinct family's name. Such name changes were generally only demanded of younger sons, where an elder brother was available to inherit the paternal estates under primogeniture and carry on the name and arms abandoned by the younger brother. Such name changes were effected by obtaining a private [[act of Parliament]] or by obtaining a [[College of Arms|royal licence]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://deedpolloffice.com/research#royal-licences |title=Researching a past change of name |work=Deed Poll Office}}</ref>

Well known examples are:
* Russell to Gorges (14th century). Ralph IV Gorges, 2nd Baron Gorges, died without issue in 1331. In an effort to preserve his family name and arms he made one of his younger nephews his heir, on condition that he should adopt the name and arms of Gorges. This nephew was William Russell, the second son of his second sister Eleanor de Gorges who had married Sir Theobald Russell (d. 1341) of [[Kingston Russell]], Dorset. The event is referred to in one of the earliest heraldic law cases brought concerning English armory, ''[[Warbelton v Gorges]]'' in 1347.
* Smithson to Percy (18th century). [[Hugh Percy, 1st Duke of Northumberland|Sir Hugh Smithson, 4th Baronet]] (1715–1786) in 1740 married [[Elizabeth Percy, Duchess of Northumberland (1716–1776)|Lady Elizabeth Seymour]], daughter and sole heiress of [[Algernon Seymour, 7th Duke of Somerset]], and granddaughter of Lady Elizabeth Percy (d. 1722), daughter and sole heiress of [[Josceline Percy, 11th Earl of Northumberland]] (1644–1670). In 1740, by a private act of Parliament, the [[Hugh Earl of Northumberland's Name and Arms Act 1749]] ([[23 Geo. 2]]. c. ''14'' {{small|Pr.}}),<ref>{{cite web |url=https://deedpolloffice.com/research/private-acts-parliament/1749-23-Geo-2-14 |title=Hugh Earl of Northumberland's name and arms |work=Deed Poll Office}}</ref> Smithson changed his surname to Percy and inherited the title [[Earl of Northumberland]] and was later created [[Duke of Northumberland]].

A less radical procedure adopted from the 18th century onwards was for the legator or settlor to demand only that the legatee or beneficiary should adopt his surname ''in addition to'' his patronymic, not in place of it, which gave rise to the "[[Double-barrelled name|double-barrelled]]", even the "triple-barrelled" name, frequently parodied in literature as epitomising the wealthy "[[squirearchy]]" with an embarrassment of inherited estates.