The evening times., 1899-06-05
CHANGING NAMES IN ENGLAND
Applications Granted by the Crown
Only for Good Reasons.

(From the Genealogical Magazlne.)
Now, the Crown has the absolute right
to grant or withhold at its pleasure its
license and authority for a change Of name.
and if all one hears be correct almost as
many applications are refused as are
granted. Needless to say, the refusals are
not the personal refusals of Her Majesty.
but emanate from the Home once, hIougi
which all petitions pass, and the Home Of
fee has assumed to itself the decision as
to whether or not a case shall be put for
ward for the personal consideration of Her
Majesty. In no circumstance can anyone
compel either the Home Office to put for
ward petition or Her Majesty to grant
her license. But, judging from past ex-
perience, one is able to indicate generally
the cases in which an application is likely
to be successful. To begin with, no case
has ever been known in which the Crown
has refused its license for any change or
assumption which is in conformity with
be taken for granted that any application
for a royal license in pursuance of either
will or settlement will be granted with
out the least difficulty being raised.
Applicants desiring to assume name
under other circumstances must show what
the Crown can consider to be good and suf-
ficient reason why the change should be
effected. TIE refusals as to which one
hears occasionally do not all seem to be
dictated from identical reasons, but it is
difficult to get exact particulars OF such
cases, and though one would hesitate to
say that the granting of royal license
upon a voluntary application was a matter
of the caprice of the Crown or its officers.
one cannot, however, definitely say that
such and such a case would be invariably
permitted, or that such -and-such a case
would be invariably refused. Consequently,
one can only indicate the probabilities OF
consent or refusal. These will usually be
found to be somewhat as follows, though
as each case has its special circumstances
it is naturally difficult to speak with any
certainty.
An application to assume a name where
no descent can be shown from any family
of such name, and where it is mere mat
ter of personal caprice, is almost invari-
ably refused. An application to assume the
name of family from whom descent In
the female line exists is generally granted
II 1t can be shown that the female an
cestor of that name through whom descent
is proved was an heraldic heiress in blood
or where the applicant can show that he
is an heir of line Of any male Of that fam
lily. An application put forward in a case
of adoption to assume the name of the
guardian is usually granted IL the applica-
ton is made by the guardian and in his
lifetime; but the matter is on an entirely
different footing il the application is made
merely at the caprice of the ward, and af-
ter the death Of the guardian, when the
latter has left behind him no indication
OF his wish that his ward should adopt
his name. An application to assume the
particle "De" in front Of name is usual
ly granted where unquestionabIe evidence
can be produced Of descent from some an
cestor who SO wrote his name.
The application of husband to assume
Ills wife's name Is usually governed by
the fact Of the heirship or otherwise of the
wife. II she be an heiress in blood the
application is usually granted, but 1t is not
infreQuently refused in cases to the con-
trary. But the Grown does not sanction
the assumption of q name by the wife
while her husband 10 alive. unless the hus-
band Joins in the petition to assume the
same name.