Surname Of Child

[crazygirly]

Hi All

Bit of a dilema here....im unsure as to what surname to give my child. The surname my partner has is that of his stepfather. Do i take that name as the surname or do i use my own surname for the child? We cannot take his biologial fathers surname as he has nothing to do with my partner at all, his real father has never been in his life nor ever contributed to his upbringing.

Hope ssomeone has an answer to this question.

Many thanks.

[ummmm]

You can call them whatever you want. It doesn't have to be a family name.

[Brinjal]

If your partner has had a happy relationship with his stepdad and is happy to use his name then why not give your child that name.

[Mammar]

If I remember rightly, the surname you use is the "name you are known by". So, whatever name your partner is known by is classed as his surname. You can give your child your name, his name or double-barrel them if you wish, whatever you choose your child to be known by. The Registrar is the best one to advise you really.
Sounds like you have a new addition. In a few years, you'll have all sorts of names to call the child by! All the best x x

[bednobs]

It's convention to call a child by the father's surname (ie your partners stepdad's name)
if you were ever to get married to him, what name would you take?

[AliceTickband]

you may think me old fashioned but I would not give a child of mine the surname of the father if he had not made the public declaration of commitment to me!

[DJHawkes]

If you are not married you can only put the father on the certificate if you both attend the register office together anyway, and so when you go, register the child with the father's surname (which I am assuming is his adopted surname) and your surname with a hythen. You both are included in the registration and both have to sign but you can give the child either or both surnames, and registering the child in both surnames means that if you do marry at a later date there is no need to change the surname.

[DJHawkes]

Alice that is not old fashioned at all but it is kinda judgemental and really not an answer to the OP

[AliceTickband]

djh....not being judgemental......each to his/her own is my position.....just stating my thought......other thoughts are available!

[DJHawkes]

then my thoughts are that giving a child the intention of stability by including a legally binding statement of parentage on a birth registration is sound as a pound.

[woofgang]

Alice, that isn't old fashioned.....I wouldn't be having a child with a man unless we were already married....