Name declarations for adults
You can change your birth name if your family situation has changed or if you wish to take advantage of new legal options.
Course description
Since 1 May 2025, your surname has generally been governed by German law if you have your habitual residence in Germany. The legal regulations stipulate exactly how the family name can be organised in certain initial situations.
If you have one or more foreign nationalities, you can alternatively choose the law of your home country. Depending on the national law, there may be other options for the use of names there.
The registry office will advise you individually and notarise your name declaration.
If the registry office you have chosen is not responsible for receiving the documents, it will forward them to the relevant registry office.
As every case is different, a personal consultation is essential.
Please use our contact form to describe the desired name change. The registry office will then inform you about your options and the required documents and will arrange an appointment with you if necessary.
Important: The contact form is originally intended for name changes for children. Therefore, please select "Declaration of the child's name" and then "Child".
The change of surname in accordance with family law regulations is made by means of a name declaration. This must be publicly certified or notarised. Please contact the registry office or a notary for this.
Prerequisites
- You are of legal age.
- You have your habitual residence in Germany.
- There is a specific reason for determining your name (e.g. birth, renaming, change of custody).
- If you have several nationalities, the law of your home country can be applied.
- In certain cases, the consent of one of the parents is required (e.g. in the case of a subsequent change of name during childhood).
The name declaration only becomes effective if it is accepted by the competent registry office - usually the registry office that keeps the register of births. Special regulations apply to people born abroad.
If the change concerns a surname that you have acquired through a marriage or civil partnership or if you would like to choose a married name, you can find more information on the page " Name change after marriage or divorce".
Questions & Answers
the birth name is the surname entered in a person's birth register. It is usually derived from the parents' surname. The birth register is generally kept at the registry office of the place of birth.
a child's birth name is usually derived from the parents' surname. There are different options depending on who has custody and whether the parents have a joint married name. If the family situation changes, the child's birth name can be changed under certain conditions. In the case of adoption, the birth name changes automatically.
In certain cases, adults can change or change their birth name retrospectively - for example in the following situations:
- Shortening a double name: You can shorten an existing double or multiple name
- Changing a hyphen: A hyphen can be added or removed from a double name.
- Choice of name between parents: If you only have the surname of one parent, you can take the name of the other parent or combine both names. The surname of the parents at the time of your birth applies. The parent whose name is to be adopted must give their consent - unless they are deceased.
- Change of name of a parent: If the surname of the parent who became your birth name has changed, you can adopt this change.
- Subsequent determination of the parents' married name: If your parents subsequently determine a joint married name, you can also adopt this name.
- Changing your parents' existing married name: If your parents change their married name, for example from a single name to a double name, you can also adopt this change.
- Reassumption of a previous name after divorce: If your parents' marriage is dissolved and one parent resumes their previous family name, you can also adopt this name - with the consent of the parent concerned.
- Renaming due to a parent's new marriage: If a parent who previously had sole custody takes on a married name in a new marriage, you can adopt this name. This requires the consent of the parent and their spouse.
- Cancellation of a change of name: If the new marriage is dissolved, a previous change of name can be cancelled.
- Change after adoption before 1 May 2025: If you received your birth name by adoption before 1 May 2025, you can take your original name again or create a double name from it.
- Change following an earlier declaration of assimilation: If you submitted a so-called declaration of assimilation with a one-part surname before 1 May 2025, you can now determine a two-part surname from the original name components.
yes, since 1 May 2025, the German Civil Code also takes into account the traditions of the Frisian, Danish and Sorbian minorities in Germany. If a surname originates from a country or cultural area in which gender-specific name forms are common, this can also be taken into account when determining the name. Please contact your registry office if you are affected by this.
If you have your habitual residence in Germany, German naming law has applied to you since 1 May 2025. However, you have the option of choosing the name law of a country of which you are a national. In this case, please note: The name you choose should be recognised by the passport authority in your country of origin, as they will continue to issue your passport.
If you do nothing, you will keep the surname you acquired before 1 May 2025 under the law in force at that time.
the name declaration must be publicly notarised or authenticated. You can contact a registry office or notary's office for this. If you live abroad, please contact the relevant German mission abroad (embassy or consulate). If you would like to make the declaration at one of Munich's registry offices, please use our contact form. The registry office will check your request and make an appointment for a personal appointment. The name declaration only becomes effective once it has been accepted by the relevant registry office.
In the case of an adoption, the adopted person automatically receives the surname of the adopting person(s). You can object to this automatic name change. However, this must be expressly declared and documented in the adoption application at the notary's office.
The name change authority is responsible if you wish to apply for a change of your first name or surname for important personal reasons. This so-called change of name under public law is not carried out via the registry office, but on application to the competent authority. You can find more information on the "Name change" page.