Hi Caroline Many thanks for explaining what you can do in England, we are a little different in that any thing legal has to be what your BDM says. My mother's father misspelled her name on her birth certificate, she could spell it correct for every day life but when it came to a legal document she had to miss spell it. A friend of mine just passed a way, she was born 20 Jun 1929, but her father make a mistake and put 9 July 1929 on her birth certificate and that was the date that had to appear on her death certificate. To get married you have to produce a full birth certificate, surely some one would notice the difference in names. Many people use other names for all different reason, if they land up in the news here, the paper puts in their correct name (known as !!!!) It seems it will be one of those mysteries I am not going to solve. Thank you all for your help Pam....NZ LittleMiracles wrote: > Arthur used both names when it was convenient, but is it correct > for him to continue using a name which is not his and hand it down > from marriage, to his children and grand children. Hallo Yes, it would be correct. If he did not legally change his name by deed poll, he could equally legally acquire the name simply by being known by the name. He could also adopt the name legally by taking out an advertisement in any newspaper or by an announcement in the London Gazette. As Caroline has stated anyone can use any name of their choice so long as it is not for criminal or fraudulent purposes. This has always been so and is still so. Connie in London