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Original poster

Do you legally have to change your name if you get married?

50 replies

PanicPants · 21/08/2008 20:57

I have just got married for the 2nd time, and to be honest the thought of having to go throught the whole change my name process AGAIN for the 3rd time (from maiden name to 1st husbands, then from 1st husbands back again to maiden name, and now to 2nd husbands) is not filling me with joy.

It would also be simpler for work if I kept my maiden name (I'm a teacher, and some children I taught knew me when I was married to 1st husband, so even now some of the older children call me by my exhusbands name, instead of maiden name.)

Do I legally have to? And what are the implications if I don't?

(BTY I do love my husband before anyone suggests otherwise )

OP posts:
onepieceoflollipop · 21/08/2008 20:59

no you do not have to.

MsHighwater · 21/08/2008 20:59

Don't think so.

tissy · 21/08/2008 20:59

no, you don't! You can call yourself whatever you like

TigerFeet · 21/08/2008 21:00

plenty of people don't bother

some husbands change their name to that of their wife

a few people have chosen an entirely new name

it's your choice

onepieceoflollipop · 21/08/2008 21:00

The implications if you don't? - well people may call you Mrs husband's surname automatically. You may have old fashioned in-laws or relatives who insist on calling you by his surname.
If you have children with your dh then you may not automatically have the same surname as the children - which may or may not be an issue to you or your dh.

mazzystar · 21/08/2008 21:00

course you don't
no way i would have got married if you did

TillyScoutsmum · 21/08/2008 21:00

Congratulations

No - no legal need to change your name if you don't want. No implications

bran · 21/08/2008 21:02

No, of course you don't have to. I think if you had kept your ex-husbands surname then it would have been polite to change from that, but there's no reason at all that you should change your maiden name.

Didn't you discuss this at all with your dh before the wedding? I have a vague memory of a conversation about 18 years ago where I said "I don't think I'll bother changing my name, do you mind" and dh said "Nah, I'm not fussed either way" (we were very romantic ).

Original poster
PanicPants · 21/08/2008 21:03

So do I just toddle along as normal? I don't have to DO anything?

Only thing is I have already changed my name on our joint savings account as we got a few cheques as wedding pressies to Mr and Mrs......, so we had to in order to cash them.

Is it legal to change the name on one bank account and nothing else?

{{PP's worried she'll be done for fraud or embezzlement or something!}}

OP posts:
TheGreatScootini · 21/08/2008 21:04

No.I havent.I was Scoot mysurname when he fell for me and I want to stay Scoot mysurname and not take his, its just who I am (plus I dont really like DHs surname .Not a legal requirement at all.He could even change his name to yours if you like I am Mrs Scoot now instead of Miss, thats all.

There havent been any implications for me.My MIL banged on about there would be issues proving we were married.There havent been.I think one time we had to show our wedding certificate-maybe for the mortgage but think we would have needed to anyway.

Our DD's have DH's name which is fine, but they have my name as a middle name..I suppose that might be an aspect of it that might cause discussion but if you both agree then no bother..

PavlovtheCat · 21/08/2008 21:04

No, you dont.

In my job, it I work under my maiden name, for security/safety reasons due to the nature of my work. As do man other women there.

A friend of mine, a teacher, uses her maiden name.

bran · 21/08/2008 21:09

When I travel with ds I need to have his birth cert with me because we have different surnames, but then it's different to dh's surname too (we are a complicated family) so we need the birth cert even if dh is with us.

cmotdibbler · 21/08/2008 21:13

Course you don't. In our family we all have different surnames (actually DS and the cats all have the same surname) and we like it that way.

Cheques to Mr and Mrs Hisname get politely returned.

TillyScoutsmum · 21/08/2008 21:14

No - its fine. I have my maiden name on some things and my (ex) married name on others. God knows what I'm going to do when I get married again

ElfOnTheTopShelf · 21/08/2008 21:17

So long as you are not doing it for deception / fraud, you can call yourself whatever you like

Katisha · 21/08/2008 21:17

Absolutely no need.

But I have got into difficulties with having different names on different bits of officialdom - the banks definitely can't cope with me using maiden name at work and operating joint account as Mrs.

Just make sure you keep bits of useful ID in both names - at least one photographic and one proof of address in each. (If you are ever going to call yourself Mrs anything that is.)

preggersplayspop · 21/08/2008 21:18

I kept my maiden name for pretty much everything then started changing things to my married name, it got a bit confusing at one point so I just decided to go for my married name for everything (not changed bank or passport though, mainly out of laziness).

It didn't enter my head that it would cause problems if I travelled with my DS on my own though - glad I read this thread now!

MaryAnnSingleton · 21/08/2008 21:25

no you don't - I have bank accounts in both married and maiden name (use maiden name for work) I'm registered at doctor and dentist under maiden name too.

Original poster
PanicPants · 21/08/2008 21:34

Ok I'm a bit relieved now then.

Out of interest why do you have to take your children's birth certificate with you if you travel with them?

OP posts:
bran · 21/08/2008 21:41

It's because of the different name thing, it's easier to get through passport control within the EU (although I've noticed in the past 18 months they are much stricter coming into the UK) but if you come in from a non-Western country then it can cause delays. We had a particularly unwelcome delay when we came back from Malaysia after a 13 hour flight and they wouldn't let us in until the police had checked that ds was definitely ours. The passport guy gave us a bit of a bollocking for not having proof with us.

Original poster
PanicPants · 21/08/2008 21:46

Really?

OP posts:
theyoungvisiter · 21/08/2008 21:51

You don't have to change your name - and you don't have to change your bank account either - I've cashed cheques made out to Mrs (husband's name) in spite of the fact that I haven't changed my name, it's never been an issue.

The bank know we have a joint account so I presume the fact that i have an account with Mr (husband's name) is enough of a green light.

I've never heard that about travelling with children? But then DS has the same name as DH and I've never travelled with DS but without Dh (if that makes sense). He's obviously DH's son if you see what I mean.

Portofino · 21/08/2008 21:53

Not especially helpful but in Belgium you have to use your maiden name for "legal" purposes. I was absoultely horrified as I hated my maiden name and more than happy to be rid of it. Now I am absolutley stuck with it at work....

Katisha · 21/08/2008 22:01

theyoungvisiter I have had endless trouble with Barclays - had account in maiden name for decades and one in married name (joint) with DH for 10 years when they suddenly decided this was unacceptable and made me change my maiden name account.

They then started to refuse to let me pay cheques in my maiden name into the account (although being perfectly happy to take my monthly salary in that name. Different system apparently)

So I have opened an account with halifax who seem a lot more sensible and able to see that I only ever use one of two names and am not a money launderer.

DRAGON30 · 21/08/2008 23:01

I kept my maiden name as DH's name is daft! The children have my name too. (DH doesn't mind). Most 'officialdom' assumes that we are not married. Each time I was pregnant, I filled in the form that asked for partners name, was he the father etc. Because of the difference in surnames, my notes ALWAYS came back as 'supported single', or something similar. It doesn't bother me, I'm just surprised that it's always assumed that all husbands/wives use the man's name.

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