Change of name by deed poll

[Annie65115]

My friend and I have recently succesfully traced a family member who went missing during WW2, presumed probably dead. In fact it turned out they changed their name by deed poll then promptly married, and had chosen not to be found. In addition they'd used a false father's name on the marriage certificate (a portmanteau of her father's real first name and her new name).

Anyway, because of this I was scanning the London Gazette and looking at the announcements of deed poll name changes. Several on the page were anglicizing their Jewish sounding names (WW2 was not a good time to carry a Jewish name -- what if Hitler had invaded??). Several were married women who were changing their surname (maybe post divorce or something?)

It got me wondering why people change their names. There must be lots of reasons - including, of course, simply not liking the name your parents gave you! But it's not necessary to go through the legal process if you simply want people to call you by a different name. You can call yourself what you like, as long as there's no intent to defraud.

Do you know of anyone who formally changed their name in this way, and the reason why they did so?

[Jebber]

Yes, a teen age boy who had his name changed by DP to that of his stepfather.

[stanmapstone]

No one changed their name by deed poll. Deed poll like many other methods was only proof that a change of name has taken place. A deed poll is a legal contract involving only one party. Changes of name by deed poll were (and are) made before a solicitor who issues the document to the person changing their name.

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 or avoidance of obligation. A notification in the local paper was sometimes used, and for every person who went to the trouble and expense of deed poll, there were numerous others who simply adopted a new name without formality.
See https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/changes-of-name/
Stan

[Annie65115]

OK, and to be fair I did say the bit about using any name you want as long as its not in attempt to defraud.

Semantics are less interesting than peoples lives, I think. Some people choose to go to the expense and trouble of formally changing their names, call the process what you will; they don't need to do that if they simply wanted to call themselves Jane instead of Ann; I wonder(ed) why people do choose to go through the formal process.

[majm]

I am in New South Wales, Australia.  Yes, here you can become known by a different name, without formally announcing it by deed poll.   But in recent years, since the mid 1990s, many of our institutions require proof of name change before they will recognise  it.   So, here ... accessing  your bank account can be important  ...  so too accessing our public health system (doctor, hospital, health clinic, chemist) ... so too your passport .....  drivers licence .... title deeds to your home, mortgage, etc...

A deed poll is an acceptable document showing proof of a name change .... so too is a marriage certificate,  and in those two instances the effective date for the change is the date of execution of the event.   

So when someone changes their name formally the authorities are legally aware of both their former names and their new names.... so the purposes in those instances does not include avoiding been found.   

So, in NSW, the main outcome in using a deed poll to announce a name change  is that the legal system recognises that you are NOT seeking to hide behind a new name, but rather, to be recognised by your new name.

JM.

[Treetotal]

My Uncle who was divorced, went to live with a lady and they stayed together for many years, as people assumed they were married, they would address the couple as Mr.&Mrs. Neither of them were comfortable with this, so my Uncle changed his surname by making it a double barrelled name resulting in him taking her surname.
 I didn't know that they weren't married and only found out when I was much older. When he died, myself and my Sister went to London to clear out his home at his request as we were his closest Family. He wanted me to have all the photos, his army records and anything Family related as he knew that I was researching the Family history. I was delighted at this as I knew he received Maunday Money from the Queen, what a disappointment to discover that all his paperwork was in his partner's surname, including a framed Certificate from the Pope when he reached 100 years old.  He was a Roman Catholic and did a lot of work for the church and that too was in his partner's surname. There is no proof of relationship in much of his personal papers  ;
Carol

[DonM]

I have a great aunt who was madly in love with a married chap and he with her.  He had 2 children with his wife who were in their early teen's when he split.  He provided full support to his now X wife and the children.  A few months later he moved in with my g-aunt and after about 5 years she changed her surname via deed pool.  A month after his first wife's death they were married.

The other is my h-sister her X-first husband companion went this route as it is far less expensive  than a divorce.  Now they are waiting for my h-sister to die so they can get married.  I'm rooting for them but my h-sister says she refuses to die first.

Don

[Caw1]

An interesting question.... why do people change their names by deed poll....
My mother did... it’s on my birth certificate... when I was younger I wasn’t sure quite what it meant....
I discovered that she had changed her maiden name to my fathers surname... why? .... because they were never officially married.... why?
Because my father was married to someone else.... and had never divorced...
In the early 1950’s it would probably have been frowned upon... they bought a hotel when my father left the army and everything needed to be official...
It was always a wonder to me growing up why there were never any wedding photos nor could she give me an answer to that or as to when their wedding date was... so I suppose changing her surname was the closest she could get to becoming my fathers common law wife...
So that’s the reason why my mother changed her name by deed poll!

Caroline

[Jomot]

Do you know of anyone who formally changed their name in this way, and the reason why they did so?

I know someone very well who did this - me 

My husband ran off with another woman when I was pregnant, and as I knew I couldn't get divorced in time I changed my name by deed poll before the birth, which was then registered under my new surname. 

My closest friend also changed her surname - she had split from her husband and also fallen out with her father, so chose a different name entirely to distance herself from them both.   

Like your family member, we both later married using these new surnames, although she has since taken her husbands surname whereas I am still known by my 'deed poll' name.