Name changes for children
In certain cases, it is possible to adapt a child's surname to a changed family situation.
Course description
From 1 May 2025, your child's surname will generally be based on German law if it has its habitual residence in Germany. Several legal provisions regulate very precisely how the family name can be organised in very specific family situations.
Depending on the nationality of the parents, the law of another country may also be chosen. There may be other options for determining the name there.
The registry office will advise you and notarise your name declaration.
If the registry office where you have the name declaration notarised is not itself responsible for effective receipt, it will forward the documents to the relevant registry office.
Each individual case is different. Individual counselling is therefore essential.
Please use our contact form to describe the desired name change. The registry office can then inform you about your options and the necessary documents and will arrange an appointment with you if necessary.
The name declaration must be publicly notarised or authenticated. You can contact the registry office or a notary for this. Name declarations are only notarised by prior appointment!
Prerequisites
The name declaration is submitted by the legal guardians. The child's consent is required once they have reached the age of 5. Children over the age of 14 or adults must sign a name declaration themselves.
The name declaration becomes effective when it is accepted by the responsible registry office. This is generally the registry office where the birth register of the child concerned is kept. There are special regulations for births abroad.
Required documents
Please use our contact form to describe the desired name change. The registry office can then advise you on your options and the necessary documents and will arrange an appointment with you if necessary.
Questions & Answers
A birth name is the surname that results from a person's birth register. It is usually derived from the parents. The birth register is kept at the registry office.
If the parents are married and have a joint surname, the child is given this name as their birth name.
If the parents have joint custody and have different surnames, the child can be given the birth name of one of the parents. The birth name may consist of a maximum of two parts.
If one parent has sole custody of the child at birth, the child derives its birth name from this parent. This is usually the mother.
If the parents have joint custody and have different surnames, the child is given one of the two names (§ 1617 BGB).
The BGB takes into account the traditions of the Frisian, Danish and Sorbian minorities in Germany. If a surname originates from a country or culture in which a variation according to gender is customary, this can also be taken into account. Please enquire at your registry office if this applies to you.
A change in the family circumstances means that the child's birth name can (but does not have to) be changed. For example:
- Paternity is recognised or successfully contested.
- Custody changes.
- The parents' surname changes.
- The parents marry or divorce.
- One parent dies.
- One parent remarries and the child lives in the household of the new family.
- This new marriage of the parent is dissolved.
- The child comes of age.
If the parents decide on a married name when the child is under 5 years old, it automatically receives the married name as its birth name.
The same applies if the surname of one of the child's parents changes.
The name declaration must be officially notarised. You can contact a registry office or a notary for this. If you live abroad, please contact your local consular mission. If you would like to make the declaration at one of Munich's registry offices, please use the contact form. The registry office will check your request and arrange an appointment for your visit. The name declaration becomes effective when it is accepted by the relevant registry office.
- In the case of an adoption, the adopted person receives the surname of the adopting person(s). You can object to this automatic process. This must be documented in the adoption application at the notary's office.
- The name change authority processes applications for a name change for important personal reasons. You can find further information online.
Legal basis
GDPR
Legal texts (version from 1 May 2025)
§§ Sections 1616 - 1617 i BGB
Art. 10 para. 1, 3 and 4 EGBGB
Art. 229 § 67 para. 2-6 EGBGB