To ask you to give me a new surname?

[6079SmithW]

Marriages/divorces (my own and parents), deed poll and other circumstances mean that I am currently on my fourth surname.
Each surname has belonged to a different man, a father, a stepfather, a husband etc. Not having had a particularly good relationship with any of them, I have never felt that any of these names belonged to me.
I want to change my surname. I want a name that belongs to me.
Any suggestions?

Ooh noooo! Not going to the trouble of changing a name to become a Smith. Millions of 'em.

Definitely maternal line of family tree.

I’ve returned to my maiden name:
Wolf

I’d go with names like Diamond, Love, Eagle, Rose, Dove, Starling, Raven, Swan, Hawke, Fox… or the name of a significant place that holds a special space in your heart.
Walk through an old cemetery. There are some beautiful surnames in mine.

I'd choose Beaufort, because that was the surname of Katherine Swynford's children with John of Gaunt! She's a favourite in history of mine.

Do you have a favourite author/book character/place/colour or similar that you could use? Or a family name, road name where you grew up? So many possibilities!!

Ooh I would love my surname to be valentine so go for that ☺️

doubtfire

Can you research your family tree to find names that have come from your maternal line? Ancestry did a two week free trial and I used that time to get quite far back with mine.

Moriarty.
Or Cowmeadow. I knew a chap who changed his surname from Cowmeadow to Meadows. Still nice but not as nice!

I like this, good idea! Not that common either.

Freeman is a great suggestion.
I went to school with a girl whose surname was Valentine. I've always liked it.
Loving Phoenix, too.

Definitely would have to take the name Fossil. "Because everyone will know it's because of you and not because of your grandfathers".

I like the Freeman idea too.

I chose a surname for my DD. It's the name of the country where we live in the country's native language. It's easy to spell and very international.

Rose
May/June/winter- thinking of the time of year you were born
alarie (means all power)
Beaufort (strong palace)
blaire
vivian

I have a massive soft spot for the translation of my grandfather's surname. Goodheart.

Or something connected to trees?

I found out someone I know changed their surname (husband also) to the same name by choosing a composer who's music they liked. It was an article in a newspaper online. It seems a lovely way to choose a name. Is there a place you like, a person you admire, a book, anything that you like and care about that you could think of a connected name?

Ahh, cowmeadow is lovely.
I wouldn't mind being Ms Cowmeadow from Cornwall.

I love these name change threads.
I changed my first and last name when I got divorced 5 years ago and I'm so glad I did.
People often say, oh, what a lovely name. But I never tell them I chose it - no one outside close family knows.

Freewoman.

Ripley (after the kick-ass heroine of the Alien films)

Wild or Wilde, as you're free of restraints

Choose something important to you, something that makes you feel good about yourself, maybe the name from a favourite actor, author, singer, character, place you love, favourite flower, another person you’ve been able to rely on in life.

for me I’d probably choose my paternal grandmothers maiden name as she was the one who always had my back, either that or Bennett as I love Elizabeth Bennett’s from Pride and Prejudice.

I also like the idea of Rivers or Lake, rivers have low and high times but still also manage to flow strong and I find Lakes very peaceful places.

I think place related is nice, lots of british surnames are related to landscape - Holt means forest, Lee for meadow/field, Burn/Burne is river.

You could portmanteau a couple of words to find a pretty sound and choose things meaningful to you

I always liked Ballantyne
Blythe is also nice
Some lovely suggestions on here

I also love the phoenix suggestion! You will be just like a phoenix rising from the ashes with your name change!

or choose something cool like a favourite musician, Hendrix, Dillon, Cash, Marley etc.

Whatever you choose make sure it’s meaningful to you.

Darling - loveliest surname ever