When a child is legally adopted in the UK, the child will automatically take on your surname and any rights of the biological parents will cease to exist. This is the status quo in many countries where the child will lose their former surname and automatically acquire yours. Countries where the surname change is automatic include Cape Verde, Argentina and Turkey.
Conversely, some countries leave the surname change decision in the hands of a local court or authority. Finland is one country where the court has the authority to determine whether or not the child should keep their family name. Similarly in São Tomé it is up to the court to decide whether or not the adopted person should keep their family name or change to the name of the adoptive parents.
And in Lithuania it is up to the child to make a decision about whether or not they wish to take the name of the adoptive parents. A court hearing will usually decide the fate of the surname, but if the child requests to keep their biological surname they will be granted permission by the court. Similarly, in France it is mandatory for all children aged 13 and over to give their consent before changes can be made to their biological surname and first name.
Countries such as Korea refrain from changing the child’s name altogether unless there is a special request for the name to be changed or the existing name is deemed to be detrimental to the child’s development. Russia takes a similar stance with the adoptive child keeping their family surname unless a special request is put in place from the adoptive parents.
A small minority of countries permit the adopted child to carry both their birth certificate surname and the surname of the adoptive parents. Mauritius is one country which follows this code of conduct- it is up to a judge to decide whether or not the adopted child keeps their biological surname and whether their new family name can be added to carry both surnames.
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