Change of name in a civil partnership

You can choose one of the partners' birth names or one of their current surnames as the civil partnership name. Example: Hase née Wolf is partnered with Hirsch née Hund. All four names can be chosen.

Under German law, a joint surname can only be chosen by both partners together.

The civil partnership name cannot be dropped during the civil partnership. If the civil partnership no longer exists, the birth name or the name that was used before the civil partnership can be adopted again by declaration to the registry office.

First, you determine a civil partnership name. This is the joint family name of both partners.

If your surname has not become a civil partnership name, you can declare to the registry office that you wish to add your birth name or the name you were using at the time of the declaration. As a rule, this must not result in a "triple name". The prefixed or added name and the civil partnership name are joined together with a hyphen. You still have this option even if the civil partnership has already been dissolved, as long as you have the joint surname.

Under German law, a combined surname for both partners is not permitted.

You can also discard it.

According to German law, the civil partner of a mother is not automatically the mother of the child. She must adopt the child. With the adoption, the child receives the civil partnership name of both mothers.

The same applies to the adoption of a child by the father's partner.

The name declaration must be officially notarised. You can contact a registry office or a notary for this. If you live abroad, please contact your local consular mission.