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Changing a Child's Last Name in Texas

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  • 06-27-2006, 11:28 AM
    alexjj9401
    Re: Change my Daughter's Last Name
    Im new to this forum. Im hoping someone can guide me in the right direction. I live in texas. My duaghter is 12, her biological father last saw her when she was about 1 year old, we were never married. I don't know where he is nor do i really want to know. It was a very bad situation that i was able to get out of. Anyway, when she was 5 i married, and she has called him dad ever since. Unfortnately i was divorced last year but for her this is her dad and she wants his last name. I didn't want to go through an adoption process partly becuase of financial reasons and i was afraid her biological dad would come around and try to stop it and prevent it from happening and in the process getting rights to see her and i didn't want that. So now she still wants to change her last name to the only dad she has ever known but i need to know first of all if this is possible and what the process is and what i have to do. Im not sure if its harder now that im not married to him or not. She just doesn't want to have his last name anymore and i would like to change it to my ex husband who has rasied her since she was 5. Please assist me in any way possible or lead me in the right direction. I would like this done as painless as possible and hopefully not having to contact the biological father and get this done as quick as possible. Thank you.
  • 06-27-2006, 11:35 AM
    aaron
    Re: Change my Daughter's Last Name
    You should be able to petition for a name change with the court which issued the custody order between you and the child's biological father. The biological father would have to be given notice of the name change petition, and you would normally have to demonstrate to the court that the name change is in the best interest of your child. You can check at the courthouse to see if they have a standard form you can use to apply for a name change.
  • 06-27-2006, 12:16 PM
    alexjj9401
    Re: Changing a Child's Last Name in Texas
    There was never a custody order. I broke up with him when she was about a year old. I never saw him after that. I dont' know where he went. He never paid any child support and i have not had contact with him in 11 years. I have no idea where he is or his family since they also have moved. I havent been able to find him or his family in phone books in cities where he grew up and where he moved to.
  • 06-27-2006, 03:39 PM
    aaron
    Re: Changing a Child's Last Name in Texas
    If he was established as her father, and is on the birth certificate, you should expect that you will need to have him served or get the court's permission for substituted service. Beyond that, you should be able to petition for the name change at your county courthouse.
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