To Want To Change (Shorten) Our Surname?

[DrillHammerChisel]

We (me, DH & the DC) all have the same surname - when I married DH I took his, willingly. I wanted to and am quite traditional and I didn't think much of it... even though it is an unusual and quite comical name!
I'm now having slight second thoughts, mainly because everyone spells it wrong and I'm sick of correcting people! It is also quite long (3 syllables) and like I said, is rather amusing to some.
Think along the lines of Longbottom.
AIBU to change it (for all of us)? I'd basically just shorten it - so we'd be the Long family instead of the Longbottom family.
Would this be an odd thing to do? Do you know anyone that has done similar? What are your thoughts?
DC are all primary aged if that makes a difference.
Thank you!

I changed my name happily when I got married, even though I liked my last name.

My thoughts OP - as you only acquired it and chose to take it I think it should be up to your dh and dc who were born with it.

Known quite a few people who have changed /dropped names...

I'd do whatever feels better for you.

I've been around quite a few folk who are 'known as' completely different first names /surnames.

Do it! Also, obviously the longer you are known by a name, the longer it sticks.

A pal has chosen to change her surname 4 times.. . (à violent father, 2 marriages and a professional name change).

People get used to it.

I know a family of Robottoms and i cannot understand why they dont change it to robertson.

Probably because it's their name and they don't have a problem with it.

4 syllable surname here... I don’t use it all that much (spelled as it is said, but ‘forrin’ so people do try to over complicate it and do some weird spellings). 4 syllable first name too - sometimes there just aren’t enough boxes on a form!

The name Bottom is quite well known in our village.
When DD started Primary school she was blown away by the fact that her TA was called Mrs Bottom, I believe her sister in law (Mrs Bottom) also works at the school.
There are a few Bottoms in the graveyard

I did know a Trollope by marriage once - apparently the family were very proud of the name due to a rather distant connection to the author.

Our old art teacher was Mrs Hoare.

If your husband is onboard with this, go for it. But be aware just because you have a short surname doesn't mean people will spell it right.

My surname is 4 letters long and I'd say 50% of the time it is spent wrong.

Similar to Cart, people will put Car or Bart or Carte or Kart. I don't bother about it. I just automatically spell it out when I'm in the phone etc.

Yes my name is Greek Cart . C A R T

It's a family joke in my house.

I think it is just silly to change from a family name that has meaning and history to a name that means nothing.

I agree - and yes, my family name is one which causes people to ask how to spell it, or people ask for it to be repeated as they can't quite believe what they've heard. However, I wouldn't change it as I like to think of it being used through the ages, and it is unusual - if it were to be shortened it would become a fairly common name.

Unusual spelling is liveable with I think. But a comedy one is not good if you intend to have any sort of professional career. I introduce myself endlessly and was hyper aware of my ‘silly’ name, also affected things such as my email as a shortening of my first name sounded so silly I always had a ridiculously long email address. I never knew why my mum took my dad’s name but I guess it was the done thing back then.

I now have a non comedy but slightly tricky to spell name and it’s great! I’ve been married 6 years now and I still feel the relief!

If I hadn’t had the comedy surname, I’d probably have kept my own on marriage or asked my husband to take mine, but as someone said up thread getting married is an easy / socially acceptable way to get rid of a comedy surname.

And those who say it makes you memorable? I’d rather be known for being good at my job etc that a silly surname.

One side of my families surname was changed about 130 years ago. We found out when our family tree was researched. One male ancestor changed it mid way through his life then everyone descended from him carries the new surname.

If your husband agrees with you then change it if that’s what you both want to do.

I think it probably is more the comedy side of it than the spelling. But then again I think of other people who have 'funny' surnames and it doesn't necessarily hold you back- Cressida Dick, Donald Trump, Claudia Winkleman, Henry Winkler, Dean Windass...
But if you have a choice (which everyone does - we do), would you change it?

The spelling and the length does bug me too.

Yes. Call yourself exactly what you like. I didn't like my birth surname, nor my husband's surname. I changed my surname to my middle name and also use 'Ms' because my marital status is nobody else's fucking business.

The only expense at all is getting passport reissued.

People will get anything wrong. I have an easy surname like Jones and I get letters to Ms Johns/ Phones / James / Janes .. people don't want to check, they rush and don't hear it correctly, are dumb.... sometimes I sing the song.

You can change/edit it as you like. When I was younger I wouldn't date men with surnames I didn't consider 'cool' because I didn't want to take the name upon (potential) marriage - of course now I know that it isn't a requisite of marriage to take your husband's name but deep down inside I still probably couldn't marry a James Dick

Thanks all.

The expense & hassle of changing it doesn't put me off. It will be a pain but once it's done, it's done.

Though how would we inform every one? Will have to think about that...

And how do you actually change it??
I've read about enrolled v unenrolled deed polls but there doesn't seem to be much difference (apart from the latter is cheaper & quicker!)...

Still in a quandary about this!!
Really don't know what to do. Part of me thinks just stick with the name, part of me says change - I can see the pros & cons of each option!

Any other thoughts?

You can just start using the name. that's perfectly legal.

You can also do a statutory declaration or a deed poll.

You can do a free deed poll, this is what I did, just google it and print out the form.

The first thing I changed was my passport and driving licence, they were both due to be renewed.

Then I took both the passport in my old name and the new one to the Dr and anywhere else I needed.

A friend had a problem with his bank when he did the same because they said it 'didn't look official' but arguing that it was good enough for the passport office made them change his name on their system.

In my case I had been using a shortened version of my name for years so had bank accounts in that name but things like my passport were in my original long name so I was just bringing everything together.

Some parents at school changed from something like shufflebottom to shuff.😀