How to Change Last Name Legally

Changing the name is a basic legal procedure, wherein a person is allowed to change the name given at birth, on marriage or on adoption, and adopt a new name. Although the facility to change the name, either first name or last name, exists in all the legal systems, the actual procedure may differ according to the area of jurisdiction. So it's important that you know how to change your last name legally in the area of jurisdiction where you live.

Name Change Formalities in the United States
In the United States, the procedure to change the name is regulated by state laws, but that doesn't allow the state authorities to forbid name changes based on common law. A look at the various court rulings in the United States, recounts that an individual can change his or her name based on court decreed name changes as well as common law name changes i.e. in simple words 'at his will'. In fact, the federal courts state, that changing one's name at his will, based on common law, is the constitutional right of the citizen of the United States.

Most of the states allow an individual to legally change his or her name by usage, instead of paperwork, but most of the institutions including banks and government offices require an order from the court of law to ascertain that the individual has changed his or her name legally. With differences among the states on requirements for name change, a court order proves to be an ideal acknowledgment of name change in the United States. In some states, the individual is allowed to return to the use of surname, that was used by the individual before. In some states married couples are allowed to adopt a particular surname (most often referred to as double-barreled name) with two parts, each representing each of the family.

How to Change Last Name Legally?
In order to change your last name legally, you need to provide the authorities a reasonable explanation, stating the motive behind changing your last name. You may have to pay a substantial amount as the fee, depending on your area of jurisdiction. Generally, the individual also has to publish legal notices, announcing the name change, in a specified number of newspapers. The judge of the court has the authority to deny the name change, if he feels that the name change is being done intentionally for confusing or immoral purpose. The documents required to change last name include, the driver's license, birth certificate and marriage certificate. After you legally change your last name, you have to officially register your new name with the concerned authorities. This applies to changing the name by any process, ranging from changing last name after marriage to changing last name after separation. You have to notify the name change to all the government agencies including Social Security office, passport office, transport office and post office. This can be done by filling particular application forms and providing the legal proof in form of the court order. This may again require paying of a substantial amount as the fee, depending on your area of jurisdiction. Ideally, you should also notify institutions such as banks, insurance companies, credit card companies, employer, the neighborhood health care center etc.

Most of the people find the process of changing name legally quite easy, but the notifying part quite tedious. Other than the government agencies, you also have to notify your friends and relatives. This can be done through emails, phone or social networking websites. You can't just declare that 'you don't like your name' and change it to some other name. There is a proper process constituted by the law of land and hence, knowing how to change last name legally is always better, than getting caught on the wrong side of law.