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Double-barrelled surnames

Dropping half of a double-barrelled surname

Whether you double-barrelled when you married or were born with both names, going back to one is a change of name. In most cases the Passport Office wants a change of name document, such as a deed poll. Here’s what you need for each situation, straight from its own guidance.

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From the Passport Office’s own rules
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Straight from the Passport Office’s own rules

Checked against HM Passport Office’s change of name guidance and GOV.UK. Sources are listed at the end.

Updated: 30 October 2026
On this pageQuick answerYour situationKeeping your spouse’s nameAfter a splitBorn double-barrelledUpdating everythingFAQs

The quick answer

If you double-barrelled when you married and now want just your spouse’s surname, HM Passport Office says it can’t use your marriage certificate for that. It asks for a change of name document, such as a deed poll or statutory declaration, plus evidence that you use the name. If you were born with a double-barrelled name and want to drop half, that’s a change of name too, and a deed poll covers it.

Going back to your birth surname after a split has its own route with the Passport Office, but GOV.UK says some organisations won’t change your name back without a deed poll. Ours is £14.95 with free tracked delivery, and it works for everyone in one go.

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What you need, situation by situation

Your situationExampleWhat the Passport Office needs
You double-barrelled when you married and want only your spouse’s surnameClark-Price to PriceA change of name document such as a deed poll, plus evidence you use the name
You double-barrelled when you married and want your birth surname backClark-Price to ClarkYour birth and marriage certificates, a signed statement and evidence you use the name. Other organisations may want a deed poll
You were born with a double-barrelled surnameClark-Price to ClarkA deed poll, plus evidence you use the name
You only want to add or remove the hyphenClark-Price to Clark PriceFor a renewal, 2 pieces of evidence that you use the new form

Every row comes from HM Passport Office’s caseworker guidance on change of name applications. HM Passport Office: change of name applications

After marriage

Keeping only your spouse’s surname

HM Passport Office’s guidance covers this exactly. If it issued you a passport in a double-barrelled name made from your previous surname and your spouse’s, and you now want only your spouse’s surname, it says it can’t use the marriage or civil partnership certificate. You need evidence of the change of name and evidence that you use the name for all official purposes.

Your marriage certificate shows how you got to Clark-Price, but not how you got from there to Price. A deed poll fills in that step: it records your old name, your new name and your declaration that you’ve adopted the new one.

After a divorce or separation

Going back to your birth surname

If you’re dropping your spouse’s half to go back to the surname you were born with, the Passport Office treats it as reverting to your birth name. Its guidance asks for your full birth certificate, your marriage or civil partnership certificate, a signed statement that you’re reverting and evidence that you use your birth name. It doesn’t need a divorce document for this.

Everyone else sets their own rules. GOV.UK says you may be able to go back to your original name with your marriage certificate and decree absolute or final order, but that some organisations won’t change your name back without a deed poll. A deed poll works for all of them, whether or not your divorce is final. GOV.UK: change your name by deed poll

Our guides to changing your name after divorce and changing your name while separated go into more detail.

One document for everyone

A deed poll works with your bank, your employer and everyone else, whether or not your divorce is final. Same-day processing when you order by 6pm, Monday to Friday.

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Born with both names

Born with a double-barrelled surname?

If both names have been yours since birth, dropping one is a straightforward change of name. A deed poll covers it, and you send it to the Passport Office with evidence that you use your new name, such as a payslip, a council letter or a driving licence issued after your deed poll. GOV.UK: other name changes on a passport

Changing a child’s double-barrelled surname needs the agreement of everyone with parental responsibility. Our child name change guide explains how.

Next steps

Updating your licence, bank and everyone else

Driving licence

Free with the DVLA, using form D1 and your original deed poll. The DVLA doesn’t accept photocopies.

Passport

Your deed poll plus evidence you use the name, or the birth name route above.

Bank

Check our bank by bank guide for what yours asks for.

Everyone else

Work through our free checklist, and use our change of name letter to save time.

The DVLA’s rules are on GOV.UK. GOV.UK: change the name on your driving licence

Your questions answered

Frequently asked questions

Usually. HM Passport Office won’t use a marriage certificate to go from a double-barrelled name to just your spouse’s surname, and dropping half of a name you were born with is a change of name. A deed poll covers both.

Yes. For your passport, HM Passport Office has a route for reverting to your birth name using your birth and marriage certificates, a signed statement and evidence of use. GOV.UK says some other organisations won’t change your name back without a deed poll.

No. You can change your name by deed poll at any time, and the Passport Office’s route for reverting to your birth name doesn’t need a divorce document.

Yes. For a first passport, the Passport Office accepts adding or removing a hyphen without evidence if the spelling and order don’t change. For a renewal, it asks for 2 pieces of evidence that you use the new form.

No. Changing a child’s surname needs the agreement of everyone with parental responsibility, so it’s a separate step.

Your current double-barrelled name as your old name, and the single surname you want as your new name, with your first and middle names as they are.

Check the detail

Sources for this guide

Guidance and reference pages

The official rules this guide is based on, checked in October 2026.

Continue your name change

Related guides

Double-barrelled surnames

Creating one, hyphens and the order of names.

Changing your name after divorce

Reverting, keeping or choosing a new name.

Changing your name while separated

You don’t have to wait for the divorce.

Ready when you are

Back to one surname.

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