Can you change your last name to something new when you get married?
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Can you change your last name to something new when you get married?
My fiance and I both dislike our last names, is it possible to change them both to something new when we get married or do we have to go through the name change process?
Asked on June 25, 2012 under Family Law, Colorado
Answers:
FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 11 years ago | Contributor
Under the laws of all states in this coutry, when one spouse marries the other either one can take the existing "surname" of the other as stated in the marriage certificate that is then signed by the person officiating the ceremony, sealed and filed with the county's department of vital statistics where the ceremony was performed.
If the desired new name is completely different than the "surname" then existing, the couple has to file a petition with the superior court of the county where they reside and go through the name change process that way.
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