Surname Change Child - Naming

If your spouse is not the parent of your child and you want them to receive your married name, you can change the child's name.

If you have parental authority over a child – alone or jointly with another parent – and your spouse/partner is not the parent of the child, you can give the child you have taken into your common household your married or civil partnership name by declaration to the registry office. You may also prefix or add the married name or civil partnership name to the name the child is using at that time.

Registry office

• Birth certificate of the child
• Identity cards or passports
• Marriage certificate
• Declaration of consent of the other parent with custody
• Proof of custody
• If applicable, declaration of consent of the child

In individual cases, further documents may be required. You can inquire about this at the registry office.

• The spouses or partners have a married name or civil partnership name and live with the child in a common household.
• One spouse or partner has custody, the other is not the parent of the minor child.
• The other parent must agree to the name change if he or she also has custody (the family court may replace the consent of the other parent if the change of name is necessary in the best interests of the child).
• The child must agree to the declaration when he or she reaches the age of five.

You can submit the declaration of the name change at any registry office. The declaration becomes effective as soon as it is received by the registry office that keeps the birth register entry for the child.

Upon request, you will receive a certificate of the name change.

The register of marriages or civil partnerships and the register of births are updated.

There are no deadlines to be observed.

Fees of 23.50 euros are charged for the certification of the declaration, unless the municipality has set a different fee by statute.

If you or your spouse or your partner or child do not speak german, you must use an interpreter at your own expense.