Name Change in Denmark

Navneændring

Navneændring means that a person changes his name and such as, taking a new surname. Throughout most the 1800s the state tried without much luck to instruct the people to keep fixed family names. From 1892 onwards was the name that a person had been recorder with in the church books, therefore, frozen - even if the person was not using it. The many protests by the population to no longer be able to decide or choose his own surname led the state in 1903 to try to solve this problem, an experimental system that has continued in name of the law of 22 April 1904th Until 1903 they had only been able to have his name changed by royal authorization. After the new law could be easier (and cheaper) get a new surname.

Church book as a starting point

Always start with the church book birth admission, in which the person's surname should be informed and have a remark about the name change date and type. Type - ie. either royal appropriation or other proof / certificate name - determine where in particular the case must be found. If the type is not disclosed in the church book, you can guess after a couple of general rules, if the name is a name, a woman's maiden name or a name of another genus already using, will navneædringen until 1961 have been done by royal authorization. However, if there is a new and even invented the name, the name will change from 1903 onwards normally be done by other supporting / name proof. Which authority has decided the matter, are rarely reported, so here also guess. Start with the authority where the applicant lived, since he changed his name.

If multiple family members searched the Community, and the matter will be dealt where the main applicant lived. If a man has been renamed, while he was still enrolled in lægdsrullen, it will usually be informed and provide precise information in lægdsrullen. It is rare that an application for name change provides a justification for the choice of family name - unless there is law to an already used name.

Name change in Copenhagen

As in many other cases Copenhagen had its own administrative system, which makes the search for the name matters differently than in the province. In Copenhagen was a person from 1903-1904 to submit its application to Copenhagen, the Bureau, in whose archives it therefore exists. This applies both by royal authorization, and by other supporting. The instructions are a Registry of Copenhagen Overpræsidiums archive subgroup of Copenhagen, the Bureau

Name change in the province

Came the name change by magistrates and levels of name certificate outside Copenhagen, was the applicant between 1903-1961 send the application to the police chief. Until 1919 called the police chief legal officer, and until then the case must be found in the legal file, and then served in the police archive. From 1962 surpassed the authority to counties and later for the state counties. From 1904-1961 took the counties also of royal funds. The instructions are relevant Registries of gruppeene "Retsbetjente - 1919", "Politi 1919-" and "Ampter & statsamter". Back to Denmark Page►

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