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Choice of a child's surname by father and mother
Verified 02 March 2022 - Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister), Ministry of Justice
Name on the birth certificate (also called birth name or surname)
Legal relationship between a child and his/her father and/or mother
Which can't be separated. Indivisible.
Person (in France, in the town hall or consulate) who draws up civil status documents (birth, marriage, death...), keeps them and issues copies or extracts
You wonder what surname can you choose for your child? This page indicates the rules to know for the choice of the surname and how to do the procedure. The rules are different for the 1er child of the following couple or children.
What applies to you ?
1st child
General case
A child whose parentage is established in respect of each parent may have the following names:
- The father's name
- Or the mother's name
- Or the 2 names placed side by side, separated by a single space, in the order chosen by the parents, and within the limit of one surname for each one of them.
Example: If the father's name is Dupond Durand and the mother's is Dupuis, the child may be named Dupond Dupuis, Durand Dupuis, Dupuis Dupond or Dupuis Durand.
However, a compound name existing before 2005 and one compound name following a simple adoption are inseparable (non-breaking). They are transmitted in full.
Example: If the father's name is Ledru-Rollin and the mother's is Dupont, the child may be named Ledru-Rollin Dupont or Dupont Ledru-Rollin.
One of the parents is a foreigner
A child whose parentage is established in respect of each parent may have the following names:
- The father's name
- Or the mother's name
- Or the 2 names placed side by side, separated by a single space, in the order chosen by the parents, and within the limit of one surname for each one of them.
If the name of the foreigner parent(s) consists of more than one term, it shall be considered indivisible.
To divide the name and pass only part of it, you must provide a certificate of custom.
Inquire at the consulate or embassy of the country concerned.
Who shall I contact
Please note
parents may give a surname to their stillborn child (or born alive but not viable and died before the birth declaration). The child may have the name of the father, or the name of the mother, or their 2 names placed side by side, in the order they choose and within the limit of a family name. The last name is given on the act of a lifeless child. Parents can request a family record book if they don't have one.
Parents need to make a joint statement of choice of surname.
The declaration shall be made on the cerfa form no. 15286.
Parents sign the form on the same date every 2.
The form must be given to the registrar along with the birth declaration.
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The parents are married together
If the parents do not make a joint declaration of choice of name, the child takes his father's name.
This lack of choice is equivalent to a choice and applies to subsequent children of the couple.
The parents are not married together
If the parents do not make a joint declaration of choice of name, the child bears:
- Either the name of the person who recognized him first
- Either the name of his father when he was recognized at the same time by his two parents
For example, if the father recognizes the child after the birth declaration, the child takes the mother's name.
This lack of choice is equivalent to a choice and applies to subsequent children of the couple.
If the parents disagree on the name of their child, one of the parents must notify in writing to the registrar.
The procedure must be carried out at the latest on the day of birth declaration.
In practice, the parent has a statement of disagreement to the registrar before the birth of the child.
The registrar checks the declaration, puts in his visa and returns it to the parent.
Parent must present this document on the day of the declaration of birth to the registrar of the place of birth.
The registrar shall give the child a double name, consisting of the 2 names of the parents in alphabetical order.
If a parent has a double name, the officer only uses the 1er to compose the child's name.
The name given to this child is imposed on the following children of the couple.
Example :
If the father's name is Susini and the mother's name is Delmas, the child name is Delmas Susini.
If the father's name is Susini and the mother's name is Delmas Moreau, the child name is Delmas Susini.
Subsequent Children
If the 2 parents appear on the birth certificate of their 1er child, the choice of the name made for this 1er child is imposed on their next children.
Civil status rules in the case of a child who dies at birth
Choosing the surname for a child
FAQ
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