change of name

[ginnerboy]

where would be the best place to start to research a relative that changed their surname in the brentford area.

[Ruskie]

What dates are you talking about here?

Was the change by deed poll?

Do you know the "before" and "after" name?

[KGarrad]

Under English Law, it is perfectly legal for a person to call themselves anything they like!
As long as it's not done for fraud or deceit.

No Deed Poll necessary

[Ruskie]

Yes, I realise that, but some people still change their name by deed poll, and was just wondering if that was the case here. 

Changing by deed poll is possibly something that people would tend to do more in recent times than in the past, (maybe due to more documentation required for everything) but that is just a guess.  ;

[stanmapstone]

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. From 1914, all deeds poll enrolled in the Supreme Court had first to be advertised in the London Gazette.

Stan

[Guy Etchells]

The most common reason for a change of surname was marriage, millions of women do this every year.
If you want more serious suggestions you really need to be more specific in your question and give details such as year, area, sex, occupation or class as each has a bearing on the reply.

For example occupation or class may rule in the possibility of an announcement in a paper such as the London Gazette or an announcement in a local paper, the change registered by deed poll (note deed poll does not change the name only registers a change has taken place) or by repute.

Between 1841 & 1911 the census could help or at other times electoral registers (depending on age and/or sex.
The sources to search depend on the details that apply.

Cheers
Guy

[ThrelfallYorky]

Usually, as suggested already, only the well-off would indulge in Deed Poll. I seem to have one person born under one surname (which wasn't apparently the one he was entitled to, as his parents seem not to have married, who went under the surname of his mother's later partner until his 20s, then bashed from his original, real father's surname, to his mother's original surname, back and forth, even using both surnames for children, - in different orders!! Took years to track down, and never can quite prove exactly what happened.
Just keep looking under all the possible surnames, but you may well never get it pinned down legally.
You and I can call ourselves whatever we want, legally; it seems we've just got to get everyone to agree to recognise it - and in the days prior to bank accounts, payroll records, and the thousands of entries for us on official sites, it must have been quite a lot easier to simply say "Right, as of now I'm Joe Bloggs, not Fred Smith..." even without moving towns or districts

[ginnerboy]

my uncle had a son in 1919, he was born James George Brompton, his mothers surname was originally Angel and she was previously married to a samuel proctor, my uncle married ellen proctor in 1925 and at some point their son james george changed his name to proctor probably about  the late 30s early 40s, i am trying to uncover possibly the year he changed his name and a possible reason why this was done.

[FionaO]

Hi Ginnerboy,

Not sure I'm going to help but from my experience a person will sometimes change their name to show solidarity to one or another party.  Or, as his early life was between the wars, he was either identifying with a war hero, or trying to get into his own war but not being old enough.

Hmm, I've not been helpful but see if anything makes sense with the rest of your knowledge.

Fionaohdearbutgoodluck