To ask if you've changed your surname (not due to marriage)?

[RedDwarves]

Hi ladies,

Just something that has been on my mind lately. I am not close to anyone in my family - the only person I am in contact with who I share my surname with is my mum (dad died when I was very young). My family has been a hotbed of tension, fighting, bitterness etc. for my whole life and I frankly don't like that I share a name with some of them. It doesn't help that I also have a "family name" for a first name, which means I share two names with some members of my family who I don't have contact with.

Have any of you chosen to change your surname? If so, what were your reasons? And did you ever regret it?

I like having the tie to my mum and, of course, my dad. But, ultimately, that is where it ends.

[whiskeysourpuss]

I changed my surname when my mum remarried as I didn't want to be the only one with a different name. I used the name as a known as name from the age of 12 & changed it legally (Scotland so a whole new birth certificate) at 20 so that I could use it on DD1's birth certificate as my legal name as by that time I didn't identify with my birth name.

I still have great relationships with my dads family & me being a different name is a non-issue.

Both my DD's have now legally changed their names to my surname & again this isn't an issue with either my dads family or their paternal family (they don't see their own father).

[Lemonyknickers]

My DS changed hers when she was 18. She didn't like my dad or the surname, she's never married but I think wouldn't have changed it, she likes her surname (my grandmothers maiden name)

[ionising]

Yes I have changed mine by deed poll to the same surname as my daughters.

The name is the name of my ex but I don't mind too much at least my surname
Is the same as my daughters which as we are off on holiday next month is useful as I have read that it can cause issue at passport control.

[isseywithcats]

only on facebook use my maiden name not my married name as i hate the person its associated with but not in real lifei

[GruciusMalfoy]

Yes, I changed mine by deed poll when I was 17 or 18. I find it weird now to think of being anything but "my" name, and haven't regretted changing.

[APermanentlyExhaustedPigeon]

My parents divorced when I was very young. My mum remarried but I kept my father's surname as there was no way on earth he'd have let me change it to my step-Dad's. I chose to stop seeing my father in my mid-twenties and changed it my deed poll to something unconnected with either side of the family, I just liked it.

My DD has my surname despite me and her dad subsequently marrying as I have not taken his surname either. I figured I've already changed my name once, and I love it! He may change his to mine later on but he has DC from his first marriage so at the moment he's keeping his so it's the same as theirs.