Has anyone here ever legally changed their surname? (Please see details)

Not me but someone I went to high school with, they changed their surname due to a family member making nation news. It was all handled in court. It took less than a month.
She also “drop off the face of the earth.” After the sentencing of the family member. One of her brothers knows how to get in contact with her.

Me? No.

I grew up with a kid whose parents had immigrated to the US from Romania – they had some really long and unusual last name – Enteverescu or something like that. (Note, this was the 1970s and escaping from the Soviet bloc was pretty unusual.)

Anyway, they got to the US and the family wanted to Americanize as quickly as possible. So they (the whole family) went through the process. One day Andrei said “my new last name is Edwards” and that was that.

Thanks, guys, but I am looking for first hand experience here.

@canidmajor I can give you first hand info of changing a FIRST NAME (not a last name) that we did for my daughter when she was still a minor. (around 2004). Is that helpful?

Thanks, @elbanditoroso, but not really. The process is more involved and complex for an older adult, that’s what I’m really interested in.

A close relative changed her name because of the vibes and energy that it was purported to give her?

She got caught up in the Kabalarian cult basically Numerology where one changes there name to a better ‘Vibe/energy ????

In the long run she got : Disowned from my late father who didn’t put her in his Will.

Her and her then husband who did the same thing ( first and last names were changed) .

( I really think that they were hiding from creditors,but began to wonder if they were just screwed up?..however they suddenly were able to get credit cards?)

They even changed there 5 year old son’s first and last name just to screw him up too.
( he had forgotten and doesn’t remember now later in life).

A few more name changes ( surname change) then Divorce then a few marriages and divorce again and now late in life remarried and finally settled down.
Phew!
Before one decides to change there name consider the effects felt down the line first.

This relative was investigated privately by her husband to be BEFORE he found out her past. He married her anyways and they are happy now.

Remember nothing is really buried from the past it has a way of re surfing at the most embarrassing moments.