name change in middlesex

[Bawtry]

Hi, not sure what board this belonged in. Our family changed their surname somewhere between 1914 and 1934. Can anyone advises if there is a record of these changes and is it available online?

[stanmapstone]

Under English common law, a person may take a new surname, perfectly legally, without drawing up any formal record, provided that such action is not undertaken for the purpose of fraud of avoidance of obligation, etc. So for people over over 16 years of age in England there is only one way to legally change your name and that is by using a new name. Deed Poll has never been required It always was, and still is, perfectly legal just to change one's name and notify all interested parties, provided there is no intent to defraud or other criminal intent . Deed Poll was usually used by those who considered  possible inheritance difficulties in the future, so was more often used by the wealthier members of society. A notification in the local paper was sometimes used, and for ever person who went to the trouble and expense of deed poll, there were numerous others who simply adopted a new name without formality. From 1914, all deeds poll enrolled in the Supreme Court had first to be advertised in the London Gazette http://beta.gazettes-online.co.uk/

See http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/RdLeaflet.asp?sLeafletID=176


Stan

[Bawtry]

Thanks Stan, basically the person was informally adopted and brought up and he was known by his adopted father's name. I believe that at some point they made it a legal name change because he still signed documents with his "real" name until some point later.

Thanks for your help