An example deed of change of name.
A deed poll is a legal document made and executed by a single party (be it a single person acting alone or multiple people acting as one), as opposed to two or more parties in a standard deed, and is often used in (England and Wales) to change a name. The term comes from the fact that the document is ‘polled’ rather than ‘cut’, as would be the case between deeds between two or more parties.
Deed polls are often more costly than a Statutory Declaration but need not be, as they can be printed from home and are valid if signed before a witness. You can now print your own Deed Poll through T-Vox for free.
England and Wales
Under English law (the law governing England and Wales) a deed of change of name may be registered in the Central Office of the High Court and will be in the London Gazette.
A deed of name change on behalf of a minor must be approved by the Senior Master on behalf of the Master of the Rolls who will take into account the child’s best interests.
Registration of deeds is regulated by The Enrollment of Deeds (Change of Name) Regulations 1994, Statutory Instrument 1994 No. 604. The text of the Act is available for viewing here.
The following is an example deed of change of name. If you are only changing your forenames and keeping your original surname, your original surname must be entered where it states <NEW SURNAME ONLY>
HEREBY DECLARE AS FOLLOWS:
- I ABSOLUTELY and entirely renounce, relinquish and abandon the use of my former name of <FORMER NAME> and assume, adopt and determine to take and use from the date hereof the name of <NEW NAME> in substitution for my former name of <FORMER NAME>.
- I SHALL AT ALL TIMES hereafter in all records, deeds, documents and other writings and in all actions and proceedings, as well as in all dealings and transactions and on all occasions whatsoever use and subscribe the said name of <NEW NAME> as my name, in substitution for my former name of <FORMER NAME> so relinquished as aforesaid to the intent that I may hereafter be called, known or distinguished by the name of <NEW NAME> only and not by my former name of <FORMER NAME>.
- I AUTHORISE and require all persons at all times to designate, describe and address me by the adopted name of <NEW NAME>.
IN WITNESS whereof I have hereunto subscribed my adopted and substituted forenames of <NEW FORENAMES ONLY> and my surname of <NEW SURNAME ONLY> and also my said former name of <FORMER NAME>.
DATED THIS <DAY> DAY OF <MONTH> IN THE YEAR <YEAR>
| SIGNED AS A DEED | |
| by the above named | ________________________ |
| <NEW NAME> | Signed as <NEW NAME> |
| Formerly known as | ________________________ |
| <FORMER NAME> | Signed as <FORMER NAME> |
| In the presence of: | |
| Name ___________________________ | ________________________ |
| Address ________________________ | Witness signature |
| _________________________________ | |
| _________________________________ | |
| _________________________________ | |
| Occupation _____________________ |
Scotland
In difference to the laws of the rest of the United Kingdom, deed polls do not exist in Scottish law. Instead, anyone whose birth is registered in Scotland need only inform people and organisations (eg. their bank and their GP) of their new name and then use it for two years. After this two-year period the person may apply to the Registrar General for Scotland to have their birth certificate amended to show the new name.
The Registrar General will require proof that the person has been living under their new name before an updated birth certificate can be issued. This can be provided in the form of a driving licence, passport, NHS medical card, etc in the new name.
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