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Name Change From a Hyphenated Last Name

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  • 10-29-2012, 01:54 PM
    ccfc1986
    Name Change From a Hyphenated Last Name
    My question involves name change laws in the State of: Illinois

    I currently use a legal last name of something like 'Lincoln-Smith'. This is due to when I was a child my birth father died, and my step father's last name was added to mine. All my government documents (passports, green card, drivers license, etc), all use the Linoln-Smith name. Throughout my school career i used just 'Smith' as my last name, and continue to do so in my work career. I recently got married and would like to go back to my birth fathers last name for work purposes, bank accounts, etc. I am under the opinion i can switch to that name without going through a full legal name change, as i do NOT want to remove a name from my current last name ('Lincoln-Smith'), but would rather go by the last name of just 'Lincoln'.

    Is this possible? Please let me know what, if anything I have to do.

    Cheers
  • 10-29-2012, 03:05 PM
    flyingron
    Re: Name Change From a Hyphenated Last Name
    You can call yourself what you want as long as it isn't fraudlent. The problem is that if you call yourself by something other than your legal name, you will run into problems from time to time (my friend had fun when he got airline tickets in the name on his credit cards but that doesn't match his ID at the TSA checkpoints).

    In some states you could have adjusted the last name at the time you were married, but it sounds like now you have no choice other than a formal court name change. However, that's not particularly onerous. Googlie "Illinois Name Change" and you'll find tons of info I'm sure.
  • 10-29-2012, 03:17 PM
    ccfc1986
    Re: Name Change From a Hyphenated Last Name
    Whenever purchasing airline tickets i always use my full legal name (as i ran into similar issues in the past). Legally though, I think i can call myself either Joe Smith, Joe Lincoln, OR Joe Lincoln-Smith without having to perform a name change to be referred to as something else (this is due to the fact my LEGAL last name is Lincoln-Smith). If i was going to say 'Washington' as my last name, i would obviously need to legally change my entire last name on all forms of identification.

    Can i get any further feedback on this... I would hate to go through the official name change process if its completely unwarranted in this situation.
  • 10-29-2012, 04:17 PM
    Disagreeable
    Re: Name Change From a Hyphenated Last Name
    You can use all the AKA's you want. You only have one legal last name. You can go to court and have it modified if you wish.
  • 10-29-2012, 05:03 PM
    flyingron
    Re: Name Change From a Hyphenated Last Name
    You can call yourself Benjamin Franklin for all it matters as long as you use your real name where officially required.
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