Are there records for deed poll name changes?

[Worthingbudge]

Hi there

I have a Bernard John Roden born in 1905, Twickenham.  He appears in the 1911 census in Chelsea as the nephew of Owen & Emma McGrath.

Someone on Ancestry says that Bernard changed his name by deed poll to Bernard John McGrath.  This would certainly fit his circumstances above and that Bernard John McGrath named his son Bernard John Owen McGrath, and a family story that there was a name change.  Unfortunately, the person on Ancestry has not been on the site for over a year so I can't get in touch with them.

Do you know if there are records for deed poll name changes, and if so, can they be accessed? Bernard would have changed his name sometime between 1911 and when he married in 1930.

Many thanks ... Simon

[anpefa1]

hello simon
the national archives have records of deed poll name changes however the dates range between 1938-1964 and 1945-1973 so this does not help you.

i understand that the age of consent is 16 unless someone other than the childs parents has responsiblity for a child.

being listed as a nephew in 1911 could point to this possibility.

as a consenting adult a change of name would involve bank/building society, revenue and customs, contracts, the list is endless.

as an individual you can call yourself what you like without any legal implications unless you fall foul of the law or get involved in fraudulent activities.

if the change of name involved a legal process i would think that this would appear on a certificate of some sort (aka).

tony

[Valda]

Hi

Most people who changed their name did not go to the expense of doing it by deed poll, they just changed it. If they did change their name by deed poll they didn't necessary have it enrolled - enter into a court enrolment book which will find its way to The National Archives. TNA hold the enrolled deed poll records 1851-2003.

The National Archives information leaflet on changes of name.

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/research-guides/change-of-name.htm

From 1914 onwards The London Gazette (the government newspaper) had to publish all enrolled deed poll name changes. The London Gazette is freely accessible online and indexed.

http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/search


Regards

Valda

[Worthingbudge]

Many thanks Tony & Valda for your replies.  I'll check for an enrolled deed poll record - but as you suggest, I'm not optimistic that I'll find anything.

Thanks again ... Simon

[DDHH]

Hi, I found a family member of mine listed in the London Gazette  http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/search for the purpose of a change of name. More recently I know that enrolled deed polls are registered at the Royal Courts of justice. The UK Deed Poll Service https://www.changemyname.org.ukmaintains an archive of historic and more recent deed polls also.