Whether you're combining names after marriage, adding a partner's name without losing yours, or double-barrelling your child's surname, a deed poll makes it official. Here's how it works.
Get your deed poll from £9.99 →In most cases, yes. A marriage certificate proves a straightforward move to your spouse's surname, but it doesn't evidence a combination of names. If you want to become Smith-Jones, Jones Smith, or any blend of the two, banks and HM Passport Office will generally ask for a deed poll, because the certificate alone doesn't show which combined form you've chosen.
The same applies outside marriage entirely. Unmarried couples double-barrelling to share a family name, people adding a parent's or grandparent's surname, or anyone combining names for personal reasons all use a deed poll. No marriage is required.
Both are fine. "Smith-Jones" and "Smith Jones" are equally valid; the second is sometimes called a double surname rather than double-barrelled. The one thing that matters is consistency. Your deed poll fixes the exact form, including the hyphen or space and the order of the names, and every organisation will then record it exactly as written. Decide the precise format before you create the document, because Smith-Jones and Smith Jones are treated as different names.
Entirely up to you. There's no legal convention in the UK about whose name leads. Couples usually pick the order that sounds best, and there's no requirement for both partners to adopt the same form, though most do for consistency. Each adult changing their name needs their own deed poll.
Parents often double-barrel a child's surname so it reflects both families, particularly where the parents are unmarried or have different surnames. This is done with a child deed poll, and everyone with parental responsibility must consent. If one parent is absent or refuses consent, you'd need a court order before the name can be changed, and we'd recommend legal advice in that situation.
A child's deed poll works the same way as an adult's once signed: schools, GPs and HM Passport Office all accept it as evidence of the new surname.
Yes. If you later want to drop one of the names, revert after a separation, or simplify a long surname, that's just another name change by deed poll. There's no limit on how many times you can change your name in the UK.
Create your double-barrelled deed poll now with our free deed poll generator, entering your new surname exactly as you want it recorded. Or order a professionally printed deed poll on certificate paper with an embossed seal, which some banks and counters are more receptive to. Then update your passport first and work through our name change checklist.
Yes. Marriage is irrelevant to a deed poll. Any adult can combine their surname with a partner's, a parent's or any other name of their choosing, provided it is not for fraudulent purposes.
Usually not on its own. Some organisations may informally accept it, but banks and HM Passport Office typically require a deed poll for combined surnames because the certificate does not evidence the specific combined form you have chosen. A deed poll removes all doubt.
Yes, if both of you are changing your name. A deed poll changes one person's name, so a couple both moving to Smith-Jones would need one each.
No. Everyone with parental responsibility must consent to a child's name change. Without full consent you would need a court order, and we recommend taking legal advice in that situation.
There is no fixed legal limit, but practical ones exist: passports and driving licences have character limits, and triple-barrelled names can cause formatting problems. Two names, with or without a hyphen, is the practical norm.
Yes. Once your deed poll is signed and witnessed, HM Passport Office and the DVLA will record your new surname exactly as it appears on the deed, hyphen included if you chose one.
Important note: We are an independent document provider specialising in unenrolled deed polls. We are not affiliated with HM Government. We do not offer Enrolled Deed Polls. If you need an Enrolled Deed Poll, visit the UK Government website. This page is general information, not legal advice.