Changing surname

In Finland, all surnames that are used by living persons according to the Population Information System are protected. This means that they cannot be adopted as a surname without a reason.  

You can adopt a surname that is already used, providing one of the following conditions is met: 

• You have used the surname in the past or the surname has been used in your family within the last five generations.   
• You want to change or shorten the spelling of a foreign surname you are already using to make it easier to use. Translation of a foreign surname into Finnish or Swedish does not count as changing the spelling of a surname.   
• The surname is used by your spouse or cohabiting partner, who agrees to the change of name. You can adopt you cohabiting partner’s surname if you have lived in the same household for at least five years or you have a child together or have joint custody.   
• The surname is used by any of your siblings or children and all persons using the name according to the Population Information System agree to the change of name.   
• The surname is used by your foster parent.    
• There is a special reason for the change of surname because of changes in the family relations. We will also consider other particularly weighty reasons on a case-by-case basis. 

A newly coined surname is a surname that according to the Population Information System is currently not used by a living person.  

The form, content and spelling of a newly coined surname must be in line with Finnish surname practice. The surname must not give offence or cause any harm and it must not be confused with a protected identifier (for example, the name of an association or a company).  

When considering a newly coined surname, you should familiarise yourself with the  

• requirements of the Act on Forenames and Surnames (more specifically, sections 17–20) 
• surnames already in use in our Name Service. 

When you apply for a newly coined surname that is not in use, we will request a statement from the Names Board. The Names Board will assess whether the name you are applying for is suitable as a surname. 

We publish newly coined names on our website. The name is displayed on the website for 30 days before it is approved. During that time, anyone can send us a reminder if they consider that the name is not in accordance with the law or that it is offensive. 

In the end, we will decide on the matter, i.e., we will make a decision based on the documents you have submitted and the statement of the Names Board. The Names Board issues a statement, but we make the decision. 

If a newly coined surname is approved, it becomes a legal surname in public use. After this, others can only adopt the surname in question in the situations listed in the section above. 

The application can be processed faster if the required signatures are already there. In this case, we will no longer request consent separately. You can also submit your consent using the consent form (in Finnish) or e-mail. 

Change of surname of a minor 

The need for consent depends on who submits the application and the age of the child.  

• If the guardian applies for a change of name for their child aged 10 to 17, we need the consent of all guardians and the child.  
• If the guardian applies for a change of name for their child under the age of 10, we need the consent of all guardians, but we do not ask the child for consent. 
• If a 15-17-year-old applies for a name change themselves, we will hear all of their guardians about the matter.  
• If a parent has adopted a new surname upon marriage and either the guardian or the child also applies for it as the child's name, we need the guardian's spouse's consent for the free processing of the application. If the guardian's spouse does not give their consent, the processing of the application is subject to a fee. 
• If you are applying for a change of surname for a child due to adoption or foster parenthood, we need consent from the adoptive parents or foster parents. 

They can consent by signing the application for a change of name or by filling in a separate consent form.  

When you apply for the surname of your spouse or partner 

You will need your spouse's consent for the change of name. They can consent by signing the application for a change of name or by filling in a separate consent form. 

When you apply for a rare surname that your sibling or child has 

You need consent from all persons who have the surname in question according to the Population Information System.

When you apply for a newly coined surname that is a protected identifier  

You need consent from the holder of the protected identifier, such as an association or company. 

You can use the application to present two name options. The secondary name option can be, for example, a newly coined surname or a surname that you have previously used. You can present another name option in the justification for the application.  

Yes. If you have pending applications to change your forename and surname at the same time, we will process them at the same time. 

Please note, however, that we will process your applications independently of each other. In other words, you can receive a positive decision on one application and a negative decision on the other. 

We will process applications in their order of arrival. In matters related to travelling abroad and obtaining a passport, you can contact the Finnish Border Guard and the police. 

The child’s surname cannot be changed without a special reason if the change of surname would lead to a situation where the child’s name would no longer have any link to the name of either parent. Generally, minor children in a family cannot have different surnames if they are full siblings. A name connection to the members of the family is particularly important for children under 15 years of age. 

A change of name of a minor is usually subject to a fee. 

However, a minor’s surname can be changed free of charge in the following cases:

• A minor child receives the surname or compound surname that both parents have. 
• A minor child receives the surname or compound surname of the parent whose parenthood was not confirmed when we were notified of the child’s personal details. 
• After the adoption is confirmed, the minor child receives the surname or compound surname of the adoptive parents 
• A minor child receives the surname or compound surname of the other parent after paternity has been annulled. 
• The parent of a minor child gets married or registers their partnership, in which case the child gets the parent’s new surname. The processing of the application for free also requires the consent of the parent's spouse.  
• A minor child drops one of the two names in a compound surname after having turned 15. 

The above-mentioned situations are examples. We will examine the appropriateness of each fee on a case-by-case basis. Our consideration is based on the Act on Forenames and Surnames.

You can apply for your cohabiting partner’s surname if you have lived in the same household for at least five years and your partner gives written permission for the change of name. The cohabitation must have been recorded in the Population Information System. 

You may also adopt your spouse’s surname if you have or have had a child together or have had joint custody of a child. In this case, a cohabitation period of five years is not required. Nevertheless, you must live with your spouse when you apply for their surname. In addition, your spouse must give permission for the change of name. 

Your surname is not changed automatically after a divorce. You can apply for your former surname any time you want, even during marriage. 

Applying for a surname that you have had before costs EUR 95. 

You need a report on family relationships to prove that you have an unbroken family connection to the surname you are applying for.  

We will first check whether the connection is evident in the Population Information System. If not, we will ask you for a report on family relationships, i.e., an unbroken chain of official certificates.  

You can order the certificates from the parish to which your ancestors belong, either from the central register of the Evangelical Lutheran or the Orthodox Church of Finland. 

We need to ask the Names Board for a statement if you are applying for a newly coined surname. We also request a statement on surnames that have belonged to the applicant’s ancestor and the latest entry concerning the name has been made in the records in the 19th century. 

We may also request a statement for some other special reason. 

If the statement of the Names Board is not in your favour, you can submit a reply to the statement. We will then solve the matter and make a decision, which you can appeal with the Administrative Court.  

We will change your name in the Population Information System on the day the decision is made. You can check your new name in our Check your information service. After the change of name, you will receive a new Kela card in the post, but you must obtain a new passport, electronic ID card and driving licence yourself.  

The name that has been updated in the Population Information System will be automatically transmitted to a number of authorities within a few days. Please note that a valid non-disclosure for personal safety reasons affects the transfer of the information. If you wish, you can also order a payable extract from the Population Information System as proof of your new name. 

List of the authorities receiving information from the Population Information System  (in Finnish)

Besides authorities, remember to send a notification of your new name to, for example, your building manager, telephone operator, the library, and other companies and parties whose customer or member you are. 

If necessary, also notify foreign authorities of your change of name. Generally, we do not forward information abroad.  

Newly coined surnames that have been applied for are published on our website for 30 days before we approve them. You cannot prohibit the publication. 

We publish these names because everyone is entitled to submit a reminder of a newly coined surname applied for in the following situations: 

• according to the interpretation of the author of the reminder, the name in question does not correspond to the requirements of the Act on Forenames and Surnames (sections 18.2 and 19 of the Act) 
• the author of the reminder considers the surname applied for as offensive. 

You can submit a reminder of a newly coined surname to us in the following situations: 

• according to your interpretation, the name in question does not correspond to the requirements of the Act on Forenames and Surnames (sections 18.2 and 19 of the Act) 
• you consider the surname applied for as offensive. 

The reminder on the newly coined surname applied for must be submitted to us within 30 days of its publishing date. We can also consider reminders submitted after that if we have not yet made a decision on the matter. 

You may withdraw your application before a decision has been made. The withdrawal is sent by e-mail to [email protected] or by post the Digital and Population Data Services Agency, P.O. Box 1003, 00531 Helsinki, Finland. Remember to include your name, social security number, the name you have applied for and the case's case reference number if you have one. Please note that the fee will not be returned if the application is withdrawn.