German parliament approves plans to relax strict restrictions on family names

Release time：2024-06-04 00:16:22 Source：Culture Canvas news portal

BERLIN (AP) — The German parliament on Friday approved plans to relax strict restrictions on family names — clearing the way, among other things, for couples to take double-barreled surnames and pass them on to their children.

The reform of Germany’s rigid rules is due to take effect at the beginning of May 2025 after passing parliament’s upper house, which represents the country’s 16 state governments.

As it stands, parents are required to give their children one of their surnames. One partner in a married couple — but not both — can add the other partner’s name to his or her surname.

The reform will allow both partners to take on a double surname, with or without a hyphen, and for their children to take that name too. Parents will also be allowed to give their children a double-barreled surname. The new system still won’t allow names that are more than double-barreled.

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