Can I change My Children's last name, along with mine??

I plan to change my last name this year of 2017, in memory of my beloved father. When my Mother had Me, she gave me her last name. It was never explained why, but all my other siblings got to have my Father's last name. Ironically, I'm the only child that looks exactly like him and his family! Anyway, I want to change my last name to my Father's, #1. Because it is my birth right, #2. Because my mother's family has treated me like trash my entire life. I have no relationship with anyone on my mother's side of the family, and they have told me for years, that my mother should have aborted me, because they hate my father. That being said, I no longer wish to carry this last name. With that being said, I want to know can I also change my children's last name? I have a 5 year old, and a 7 month old. They have different fathers. My 5 year old's father has not lifted a finger to see about her since the day she was born. He has basically evaporated into thin air. We were never married, he never signed her birth certificate and he doesn't pay child support. My 7 month old. Basically left me as SOON as we found out I was pregnant with our baby we planned together. He wants me to send her to him, but he refuses to pay child support, and told me he isn't signing for anything. He did not sign her birth certificate, we were never married, and The paternity hasn't been established. He deliberately keeps moving from state to state to avoid paying child support. So with that being said.. Legally can I change mine and my children's last name to their Grandpa's? I have no problem letting either of them know about the name change, but quite frankly, they don't care about my children as long as I keep them off the "books".

This might help:

You can change your name to whatever you want. People do it all the time. What are the children's last names now? If the fathers have no parental rights due to lack of proof of paternity (no name on birth certificate, etc.) you can probably do whatever you wish as the sole parent.

We were never married, he never signed her birth certificate. My 7 month old. He did not sign her birth certificate, we were never married, and The paternity hasn't been established.

Both of my children have my current last name.

I plan to change my last name this year of 2017, in memory of my beloved father. When my Mother had Me, she gave me her last name. It was never explained why, but all my other siblings got to have my Father's last name. Ironically, I'm the only child that looks exactly like him and his family! Anyway, I want to change my last name to my Father's, #1. Because it is my birth right, #2. Because my mother's family has treated me like trash my entire life. I have no relationship with anyone on my mother's side of the family, and they have told me for years, that my mother should have aborted me, because they hate my father. That being said, I no longer wish to carry this last name. With that being said, I want to know can I also change my children's last name? I have a 5 year old, and a 7 month old. They have different fathers. My 5 year old's father has not lifted a finger to see about her since the day she was born. He has basically evaporated into thin air. We were never married, he never signed her birth certificate and he doesn't pay child support. My 7 month old. Basically left me as SOON as we found out I was pregnant with our baby we planned together. He wants me to send her to him, but he refuses to pay child support, and told me he isn't signing for anything. He did not sign her birth certificate, we were never married, and The paternity hasn't been established. He deliberately keeps moving from state to state to avoid paying child support. So with that being said.. Legally can I change mine and my children's last name to their Grandpa's? I have no problem letting either of them know about the name change, but quite frankly, they don't care about my children as long as I keep them off the "books".

You can change your name. But with your children it depends on your relationship with the father. I feel like I've read on legal forums you have to at least attempt to contact the father. What state are you in? That also depends on what you can or can't do.

If I were you I would Google "changing children's name in (insert state here)" and you will get the legal answers you need.

Regardless what you do, it'll be a hassle. Changing your name for non marital reasons opens you up to FBI involvement (no joke)

You can change your own last name if you pay the fee. As for the kids it may depend on where you live so you need advice based on your location.

Consult your local municipality. This kind of thing differs.

I live in the state of Illinois. Believe me I have done research up and down google, but none of it seems to fit my EXACT situation. It keeps giving me info pertaining to Divorced people or people with shared custody/visitation. In my situation however, neither father has custody, visitation, hasn't even been Established as a Father, and doesn't want to either. They deal with me from a far far away distance, because they don't want to deal with child support or have child support find where they are. One called me private, and the others whereabouts are unknown. They have made it as plain as plain can be that they DO not want to have anything to do with my children.. Which I have in (writing). My 7 month old father told me he will raise my daughter, but without me around. He told me I could drop her off at his mother's, and she will bring her to him 6 states away, but he's not signing anything. I told him to go do himself! I've never married either of them. Neither of them have acknowledged paternity. It's sad because now that I think of it, my infant daughter father, never even bothered to ask what her name was ..that never occurred to me. I don't know where the other father is... His last known address is boarded up, with a sign on it. I haven't spoke to him 4 years. But my youngest daughter father is between Florida and California every few months, but won't tell me his exact location. The FBI can open an investigation,if they wish...they will have my FULL Cooperation. I have never been arrested, not so much as a traffic ticket. I have no debts or involved in ANYTHING illegal. Never even lived outside of Illinois in my entire life! The name I wish to change is that of my Father, and my Children's maternal Grandfather, a blood relative.

My friend just got married and her and her husband wanted to change both their names to a hyphenated version of their ancestral last names. When they started the paperwork, they were literally opening themselves up for FBI interviews (because their name change was non traditional like yours is). They scrapped it because it was going to take a large amount of financial commitment and time.

Seriously?? Even though they were already married? I mean c'mon, it's not that serious. In my case however, I am my children's primary caregive. My children are not capable of doing anything criminal. I don't mind the FBI investigating me, they will just be wasting their time.. I have nothing to hide. I don't even have plans to live the state or my home address. Both fathers know exactly where I am. I see no reason why I couldn't change their last names. They have no Documented Father, and neither of them(fathers) will even consent to being GRANTED their Rights as Fathers. I have no way to contact them, unless they contact me First. Their families, just shrug me off and say they have nothing to do with it I'm a single never Married Mother, why can't I make this decision.

Well you know how last names are Americanized? They were going back to their traditional Greek and Cuban last names. I don't know much about it but my friend told me that, since it wasn't a name change to her husbands last name, it was a big deal.

I don't know much about it - just saying it sounds like it *could* possibly end up being expensive or a hassle.

Regardless what you do, it'll be a hassle. Changing your name for non marital reasons opens you up to FBI involvement (no joke)

How do you figure? Who told you that? My brother changed his last name at 18 after my parents divorced and a paternity test showed the man my mom had an affair with (and ultimately married) was his bio dad.

Actually people change their names for a multitude of reasons and the FBI does not investigate them. Think about transgender people who transition and change their name on everything. Or someone could get tired of their birth name and change it.

I live in the state of Illinois. Believe me I have done research up and down google, but none of it seems to fit my EXACT situation. It keeps giving me info pertaining to Divorced people or people with shared custody/visitation. In my situation however, neither father has custody, visitation, hasn't even been Established as a Father, and doesn't want to either. They deal with me from a far far away distance, because they don't want to deal with child support or have child support find where they are. One called me private, and the others whereabouts are unknown. They have made it as plain as plain can be that they DO not want to have anything to do with my children.. Which I have in (writing). My 7 month old father told me he will raise my daughter, but without me around. He told me I could drop her off at his mother's, and she will bring her to him 6 states away, but he's not signing anything. I told him to go do himself! I've never married either of them. Neither of them have acknowledged paternity. It's sad because now that I think of it, my infant daughter father, never even bothered to ask what her name was ..that never occurred to me. I don't know where the other father is... His last known address is boarded up, with a sign on it. I haven't spoke to him 4 years. But my youngest daughter father is between Florida and California every few months, but won't tell me his exact location. The FBI can open an investigation,if they wish...they will have my FULL Cooperation. I have never been arrested, not so much as a traffic ticket. I have no debts or involved in ANYTHING illegal. Never even lived outside of Illinois in my entire life! The name I wish to change is that of my Father, and my Children's maternal Grandfather, a blood relative.

Most lawyers will give free consultations. Talk to a few family law lawyers in your area and see what advice they can give you. That will be the most accurate advice you will get - you won't get anything 100% accurate on a random advice forum.

The FBI will NOT investigate you for wanting to change your name. People can change their name at any time as long as the state approves it.

Well you know how last names are Americanized? They were going back to their traditional Greek and Cuban last names. I don't know much about it but my friend told me that, since it wasn't a name change to her husbands last name, it was a big deal.

 

I don't know much about it - just saying it sounds like it *could* possibly end up being expensive or a hassle.

Your friend either doesn't know what he/she is talking about or you misunderstood. It might not be a hassle. The only hassle is changing all her banking, vehicle registration, etc information. That's the only hassle. It won't be expensive either unless one of those "fathers" fights her on it. As I told her, she needs to consult with a family law attorney.

Regardless what you do, it'll be a hassle. Changing your name for non marital reasons opens you up to FBI involvement (no joke)

That's not true. People change their name all the time for non marital reasons and an FBI investigation is not part of the deal. My son just changed his and it was a simple as filing paperwork, going to court, and swearing before the judge that it wasn't to evade a lawsuit or other legal/criminal proceeding. The whole hearing took less then 5 minutes and it was done.

Now if the judge suspects the person is doing this for an illegal reason, that would be a whole other matter. But for the average person this is a simple matter to complete.

And OP if you have sole legal custody of your children (not joint legal custody, but sole custody) then you can do as you please regarding their name. You have the right to make any and all legal decisions for them if this is the case.

It may depend on the jurisdiction. My friend said it was going to cost her thousands in paperwork.

Like I said - not me, my friend. Hearing this second hand. Just trying to present to the OP that it *may* be harder than she expected