Can I change their surname?

[NCembarassed]

Ex is named on BC. We are now divorced.

I haven't changed my surname as I want it to be the same as our children. I've not made plans or discussed it with the children much, only as my surname applies to me, eg some mums change their last name after divorce, some don't.

Eldest wants to change their surname (16). Youngest (10) wants to follow Eldest. Both are asking me to change their surname (Ex was abusive, I think this is partly why - Court gave him contact, kids are rightly wary of him).

Can I change their surname? Can he stop us, or force a change to his?

16 year old can do their own as an unenrolled deed poll.
10 year old no, not without his permission, or a court order. I believe you can use a "known as" name though for school, and possibly GP.

For 10 year old, start using your name where possible.

No courts won’t change it, especially not at 10 and he has contact, my kids father isn’t involved and I still can’t get dds name changed. 16 year old can do unenrolled

Also to add we use known as but my gp and dentist and anything medical refuse to use known as only school will allow it.

My 15yo dd is planning on changing her surname when she's 16, but yes, any younger child you would need permission as he's got parental responsibility.

You can't change the younger one's name without his agreement. But your elder child can do so at 16 by deed poll.

You can ask school to use a preferred name but on any legal documents such as exam results the legal name will be used

It was complicated but my ds was given surname "smith" even though we registered him "smith- jones"

We were abroad so complex rules.

We tried to use Smith-jones but school wouldn't accept it.

So we changed by deed poll but his dad had to sign to agree.

Easy enough for us as we did both agree but their dad may agree to youngest being double barrelled?

Ds dad not been around since he was 3 and he now writes S- Jones and no one questions it! But he uses full name on documents and he could change it himself now if he wanted as he's 18!