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Original poster

What surname would you give a child outside of marriage??

61 replies

MINNIE1 · 07/07/2005 08:45

I am expecting in December, first bubs.
I am uncertain about the childs surmane, Both me a DP are together (have been for 8 years) although we never married we never felt the need. We are going through the gardianship of the child at the moment and that seem stright forward. Its the surmane that has us cought. If we name the child with mine and his surmane, or his surmane, or just my surname. What are the legal rights to having his surname only??
Any advice welcome as were stuck on this!

Thanks

OP posts:
llamaduck · 07/07/2005 11:55

ahh never knew that! ds was born in 2000, thanks for link

Listmaker · 07/07/2005 11:56

I gave mine the double barrelled thing (no hyphen) but then we split up when dd2 was 3 months old. As he has no contact and pays no maintenance I changed their names by deed poll to just my surname. He did not have parental responsibility so I could do this but as already said I believe they get parental responsibility automnatically now - glad that wasn't true before!

Changing their names means they have new passports etc etc but can never change the birth certificate.

I thought if you weren't married the father had to come with you to register the birth if you wanted to put his name on the birth certificate. Was that not the case then gigglinggoblin for your ds2?

I don't think what name they have has any implications for legal rights - you can call them what the hell you like as far as I know!

Listmaker · 07/07/2005 11:57

Minnie - try doing a will when you have kids from previous relationships involved as well - even if you are married - what a nightmare!

Original poster
MINNIE1 · 07/07/2005 12:11

i am only on No 1 and there is so much to sort out.

OP posts:
Flamesparrow · 07/07/2005 16:08

Thanks BD - DD was born May 2003

lou33 · 07/07/2005 16:17

dd1 had my surname when she was born and we changed it to dh's when we got married

charleepeters · 07/07/2005 16:18

DS has Dp's surname but thats only because we know were getting marries as soona s we can afford it so eventually he will have my name to

Blackduck · 07/07/2005 16:18

FS - ds likewise....

potty1 · 07/07/2005 17:46

Listmaker - if you are unmarried you can't put dad's details on the certificate unless he's with you, but you can give the child his name.

Listmaker · 08/07/2005 10:39

That's what I meant Potty! You can call them what you like but for the unmarried father to go down as the father on the birth certificate he has to come with you to register the birth. I just didn't write it very clearly!!!

DissLocated · 08/07/2005 10:48

Dp and I aren't married, we both had to go and register dd together which meant he had full parental rights. She has my surname (at dp's request, he has an awful surname) and will keep it (as will I) when we're married.

DissLocated · 08/07/2005 10:51

PS - I also got a leaflet explaining the whole thing in my Bounty bag.

mandyc66 · 08/07/2005 11:11

I gave mine his Dads name. Not sur eif anyone has said this, but if you do get married you need to get them a new birth certificate! I must do this!!!!!

Toothache · 08/07/2005 11:32

My ds took my DP's (now DH) surname. We never really thought it would be any different TBH. Since we got married we re-registered him to show on his birth certificate that we are now married.

Original poster
MINNIE1 · 08/07/2005 11:41

We will marry after buba is born, going to go with DP surname. But i will have to make him gardian over the baby as even if he comes to sign the birth cert he will have no legal right as we live in Ireland.

OP posts:
ninah · 08/07/2005 11:42

just realised dp has NO pr over ds1 but if he comes to register with me, exactly as he did last time, he WILL have pr over ds/dd2! nuts!

kama · 08/07/2005 11:43

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

stitch · 08/07/2005 11:44

reinventing the wheel

Tinker · 08/07/2005 11:45

If unamrried, the father doesn't have to go with you as long as he provides a Statutory Declaration that he is the father (witnessed by a solicitor)

ninah · 08/07/2005 11:46

does that give pr tinker?

Tinker · 08/07/2005 11:47

Not sure ninah, would think so since = same as father coming with you really.

ninah · 08/07/2005 11:48

better leave him at home then

stitch · 08/07/2005 11:48

well, rather than faff around getting letters from solicitors etc etc etc. worrying about parental rights, just get married#!

ninah · 08/07/2005 11:49

no way, thanks for asking

Blu · 08/07/2005 11:52

DS has both our surnames: Dp's name-My name.
I understood that unless it is hypehenated, only the last name actually counts as surname and the name before it is a middle name. i.e if DS didn't have the hyphen, his legal surname would be 'My name'.

DS LOVES saying his name and saying 'X name is from my daddy, and y name is from my mummy because THEY made me!'