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Research in Other Countries => Australia => Topic started by: GeoffTurner on Friday 23 September 22 03:21 BST (UK)
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Hi all,
Is it possible to get digital copies of deed poll records from the Public Records Office of Victoria for the period before 1890? Adolph was born Adolph Carl Johannesson in Sweden in 1868. At his marriage in 1890 in Melbourne he gave his name as Adolph Johnston. I don't know for sure that he changed his name officially, he may have just decided to Anglicise his name unofficially. But if there is a deed poll record I would love to find it. The only PROV files on him that I could find was his divorce in 1927. But it seems from the PROV index that it might only have change of name records after 1904. Any help gratefully appreciated. Thanks, Geoff Turner
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I don’t know for sure, but I reckon he anglicised the name, as you suggest, rather than changed it officially. I’m sure someone will know about possible deed poll registers.
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Thanks.
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I had a quick look on Trove in case there were any mentions of him changing or going by a new name, an “also known as”, or announcements such as “wishes to be known as” - there seem to be a few Adolph Johnstone but Nothing stood out …. however I just had a cursory glance so you might like to have a closer look yourself.
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Hi,
Have you read the actual divorce file?
He was not born in Sweden, but Croydon London in 1868 and had been in Australia since 1885.
Sue
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Yes, I have read the divorce file. He was actually born at Ejgde norr, Kville, Västra Götaland, Sweden. I think the Croydon reference is another part of the attempt at Anglicisation. Geoff
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Hi I have a gentleman who changed his name by Deed Poll in Queensland and the legal document is attached to his Birth Certificate. I hope this helps.
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Well, It strikes me that he was doing more than anglicising. I would suggest there might be concealment.
The evidence about himself in the pages of the divorce file are given under oath. Quite a lot more serious than trying to "fit in"
Does the marriage certificate give his birthplace?
Sue
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On his marriage certificate he says he was born in Gothenburg which Wiki tells me "is the second-largest city in Sweden, fifth-largest in the Nordic countries, and capital of the Västra Götaland County". So definitely not Croydon!
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Changing your name has never been illegal and, in fact, your legal name is the name you are known by, not necessarily that on your birth certificate.
However. today, in order to change your name for official records some sort of paperwork must be provided. Back before 1890 many name changes were done informally, and no documentation of any kind was used. So it would be very likely that there is no official record of Adolph's name change.
My mother was born in 1917. Her birth was registered, she married, paid tax, was employed, had two children and some hospital admittances. The first time she applied for a birth certificate was in 1974 in order to get a passport. Even then she used her married name for the passport and was not asked for any documentation of the change of name from her birth name to her married name.
How things have changed!
Judith