What surname should I use after divorce?

Once your divorce has concluded you can continue to use your married name or revert back to your maiden name, the choice is yours!

We are often asked if an ex-spouse can force you to change your name back to your maiden name after the divorce. The answer to this question is simply no. It is a decision for you to make as an individual whether to continue using the married name or revert back to your name pre-marriage. There is no right or wrong answer as every client has a different reason for retaining or relinquishing use of the married name, for example some wish to ensure they have the same name as their children whereas others would prefer to end all connections to the marriage.

You can also choose when to change your name, some clients wish to wait until the divorce concludes whereas others wish to do this as a priority. If you decide to change your name part way through the divorce process, we simply need to update the Court records and provide evidence of the change.

No action is required if you wish to continue using your married name. However, if you have been using your married name, you will need to legally change it back to begin using a former name. This is a quick and seamless procedure which we can assist with at Watson Thomas Solicitors.

The majority of work can be completed either over the telephone or by way of email and only a short appointment will be required in order to sign the Change of Name Deed. As soon as the Change of Name Deed has been correctly signed, you can begin using your ‘new’ name. You will then need to provide certified copies of the Deed, which we will provide to you to various agencies such as the DVLA, doctors, banks etc.

Watson Thomas Solicitors have offices in Fleet, Hampshire and Guildford, Surrey

For further information, please visit our website at www.watson-thomas.co.uk or call us at our Fleet Office on 01252 622422 or our Guildford Office on 01483 320114 Request a free, no obligation callback from a member of our team by completing our simple enquiry form.