Name change

[lorla]

My husbands ex-girlfriend says she's changed their daughter's surname to her boyfriends. We thought she needed his consent to do this as we thought he had parental responsibility. He sees her fortnightly, pays monthly maintenance to the CSA and is on the birth certificate - but she says she has done it without him needing to sign anything, can that be right, can someone really change your own child's name without you agreeing to it?

[tigerlily11]

When I changed my sons name he had to wait until he was 16.
Then he didn't need his dads permission.
Solicitors have all told me you have to have both parents consent unless one of them is dead.
So She can't do it and if she did it's not legal.

[tigerlily11]

If she did it on line by the way then no nothing is signed until the paper work turns up. But the child has to be over 16 and doing it themselves.

[tigerlily11]

This is true.
My son called himslef by the name he uses now for years but if it comes down to the legal aspects of life, she will have to declare any other names and what ever name is on the birth certificate is always the same. It cannot be changed.

[Ethel]

Good info here:

http://www.terry.co.uk/change_of_surname_01.ht ml

[lorla]

Unfortunately his daughter says she doesn't want to change her name - she idolises her Daddy....

Whether this change happens or not the mother will never have the same surname as the child (if her daughter keeps the one she was born with or whether she changes it to her mother's boyfriend).

My husband, his daughter and me also want to be a family unit.

[lorla]

Tell me about it - absolute nightmare.

[lawsanass]

My husbands ex partner changed his sons name by deed poll when he was 4. It was perfectly legal, sadly. At the time he was trying to obtain parental responsibility through the courts as they had not been married. The mother changed his name after the court had received the papers and she was held in contempt of court as apparently she should not have done it whilst there was an ongoing court case. The judge however ruled that it was a trivial matter and left it at that!!! My husband was heart broken. This happened in 1996 so not sure if things have changed. Incidently, one month ago my stepson came to live with us as his wonderful mother was sent to prison, poor kids been through hell. We have now changed his name back, at his request........patience in the end really was a virtue, good luck