Wiederannahme eines früheren Namens nach Auflösung der Ehe / Bremerhaven

I want to take my birth name back.

A spouse who carries a married name may, after the marriage has been legally dissolved, reassume his or her maiden name or the surname carried until the determination of the married name. Children from this marriage who bear the married name as their maiden name cannot join the name change.

• Current certified copy of the marriage register, if the register is not kept at the registry office where the declaration is made
• Final divorce decree or death certificate
• Valid identity card or passport

Declarations on the naming of spouses are regulated in Section 41 of the Personal Status Act.

The registry office which has to notarise the marriage or keeps the marriage register in which the marriage is notarised, alternatively the registry office of residence, is competent to receive the declaration.

The declaration is subject to official receipt and becomes effective when it reaches the competent registry office.

A widowed or divorced spouse can declare that he or she will take back his or her birth name instead of the married name. However, he or she may also reassume the surname which he or she had used until the determination of the married name. After dissolution of the marriage, the spouse who at or after the marriage made a choice of law in favour of another law may again choose the law of the country to which he or she belonged at the time of dissolution of the marriage as the law applicable to his or her name.

The relevant declarations must be made in person at the registry office.