Assuming a new surname

[DuckDodgers]

I've posted here several times try to research the origins of our family name, which is Plowman.

My Grandfather was born with the surname of Allen, within a couple of years he was given the name of Plowman.

1909 he was born. In the he census of 1911, his mother and him have taken the new surname, also his mother is listed a widow. I'm currently unable to find a marriage between these date.

Now the question I have is other than marriage (taking into account the date) is there legal process a person has to go through to change their name or could they just change it.

Thanks

[MarkJ]

There have been a few threads about changing names on the forum.

Basically, as long as there is no intention to commit a crime such as fraud etc, then you can call yourself what you wish.
There was - and indeed still is - no legal requirement to do anything other than just call yourself by the new name. For some purposes - getting a passport or driving licence in your new name for example - then the process can be officially recognised by what is commonly known as a deed poll (change of name deed) or by making a statutory declaration.


Mark

[ChristineR]

They can just change it to whatever they want, as long as they are not doing so with the intention to defraud.

Even now one can do that perfectly legally - it is just that one would not get very far as you need to have the name change formalized to be able to have identification for everyday living.

I was surprised to read 'somewhere' that getting married is not actually a legal name change, it is merely a tradition that the woman takes the man's surname. She does not have to change her surname, and if she does can return to using her maiden name at any time without any legalities.

[Nicolina]

where were the Plowman's living in 1911? I have PLOWMANs who have caused a few problems (still are doing).

[LittleMissP]

Have you found a death registration for your grandfather's father between 1909 and 1911? If not then perhaps your great grandmother reverted to her maiden name after possibly her relationship deteriorated/ ended with her spouse. If that is the case then Plowman would be a maternal line. Would be interesting to know if you have traced your family any further back or if you have your grandfather's birth certificate to shed light on the matter.

Paula

[Peter Goodey]

Are there any poor law records of outdoor support for that period?

Perhaps search court records (petty sessions or equivalent) for an order obliging the father to cough up money.

I assume, otherwise you would have mentioned it, that the name PLOWMAN had never featured in the mother's ancestry?

[DuckDodgers]

Thank you all for the quick replies.


where were the Plowman's living in 1911? I have PLOWMANs who have caused a few problems (still are doing).

My grandfather was born in Staines workhouse, his mother and family come from Hanwell, middlesex.



Have you found a death registration for your grandfather's father between 1909 and 1911? If not then perhaps your great grandmother reverted to her maiden name after possibly her relationship deteriorated/ ended with her spouse. If that is the case then Plowman would be a maternal line. Would be interesting to know if you have traced your family any further back or if you have your grandfather's birth certificate to shed light on the matter.

Paula

Sorry my grandfathers father is not known (his name is missing from the birth certificate), but his mothers maden name was Allen, she took the name Plowman some time after his birth and the 1911 census.

[DuckDodgers]

Are there any poor law records of outdoor support for that period?

Perhaps search court records (petty sessions or equivalent) for an order obliging the father to cough up money.

I assume, otherwise you would have mentioned it, that the name PLOWMAN had never featured in the mother's ancestry?

How would I go about finding these county records ?.

No the name his not appeared (as far as i know) before in his mothers ancestry, although I did find in the census that a family of Plowmans did live approx a mile from his mothers family.

[Peter Goodey]

How would I go about finding these county records ?.

At the County Record Office.

[Wirral]

I've posted here several times try to research the origins of our family name, which is Plowman.

My Grandfather was born with the surname of Allen, within a couple of years he was given the name of Plowman.

1909 he was born. In the he census of 1911, his mother and him have taken the new surname, also his mother is listed a widow.
Could you give us their full names? I can't find anyone in the 1911 census with the surname PLOWMAN who was born in Staines in about 1909 or any PLOWMAN born in Hanwell.

Also, when you refer to certificates, are these the original certificates that have been passed down in your family or are they copies that you have obtained recently?

[DuckDodgers]

Could you give us their full names? I can't find anyone in the 1911 census with the surname PLOWMAN who was born in Staines in about 1909 or any PLOWMAN born in Hanwell.

Also, when you refer to certificates, are these the original certificates that have been passed down in your family or are they copies that you have obtained recently?

My Grandfather was born John Benjamin Allen in 1909, this was only found out recently from a copy I obtained not an original. His mother was called Ellen Maria Allen.

Sometime between 1909 & 1911 him and his mother had taken the name Plowman. On the 1911 census she is listed as working as a maid, she is listed in employers house. My granfather is listed as living in Bear Street Hanwell, with his grandmother.

[Wirral]

Sometime between 1909 & 1911 him and his mother had taken the name Plowman. On the 1911 census she is listed as working as a maid, she is listed in employers house. My granfather is listed as living in Bear Street Hanwell, with his grandmother.
Could John Benjamin ALLEN's mother have married a Mr PLOWMAN after his birth? Have you found her on the earlier censuses with the same family that John Benjamin was with in 1911?
Could the birth certificate you obtained be for another member of the ALLEN family? There is another Benjamin born 1891 with John & his grandmother in 1911, so it looks like a family name.

[DuckDodgers]

Could John Benjamin ALLEN's mother have married a Mr PLOWMAN after his birth? Have you found her on the earlier censuses with the same family that John Benjamin was with in 1911?
Could the birth certificate you obtained be for another member of the ALLEN family? There is another Benjamin born 1891 with John & his grandmother in 1911, so it looks like a family name.

She could have married but as yet have found no evidence of it, in the 1911 census she is also listed as a widow. Again in the census i've found a family of Plowmans living apporx, a mile away.

With the certificate i've got I'm convinced its my grandfathers, mainly because of reoccuring names (like Benjamin) that have cropped in his mothers family, plus also the workhouse record i obtained contained not only his mothers name but his grandmothers.

[Wirral]

She could have married but as yet have found no evidence of it, in the 1911 census she is also listed as a widow. Again in the census i've found a family of Plowmans living apporx, a mile away.

With the certificate i've got I'm convinced its my grandfathers, mainly because of reoccuring names (like Benjamin) that have cropped in his mothers family, plus also the workhouse record i obtained contained not only his mothers name but his grandmothers.
I think I would be looking for a plowman as John's father, not a PLOWMAN. ;) The clue to the name change from ALLEN to PLOWMAN could be that John's mother was working as a live-in servant. As an unmarried mother she could have found it hard to get such a job. However, as a widow with a child, there would have been no such problem. Hence the sudden appearance & disappearance of Mr PLOWMAN.

[DuckDodgers]

I think I would be looking for a plowman as John's father, not a PLOWMAN. ;) The clue to the name change from ALLEN to PLOWMAN could be that John's mother was working as a live-in servant. As an unmarried mother she could have found it hard to get such a job. However, as a widow with a child, there would have been no such problem. Hence the sudden appearance & disappearance of Mr PLOWMAN.

It still leaves us with the problem of where the name came from, Plowman is not very common, not like Jones or Brown etc. To pick a name like that there must be something in it.