Change of Name Records

Deed poll was used in Victoria until October 1986 to change a person's name by making a deed stating the intention to be known by another name. A solicitor drew up the deed, and then lodged it with the Registrar-General's Office, which was part of the Land Titles Office. From November 1986, a change of name requires that the original name birth registration be cancelled and a new entry made. A Register of Changes of Name is maintained by Births Deaths Marriages Victoria and contains all the deeds poll previously held by the Registrar-General's Office. Change of Name records are restricted from public access for 100 years or until the person is deceased, whichever is the later.

https://www.bdm.vic.gov.au/change-a-name

CHANGES OF NAME/ ALIASES

People may change their name or use an alias because they are or have been in trouble with the law. Convict, criminal, police, court and prison records may have a list of aliases used by a particular person. See Convict Records. See Criminal Records. See Police Records. See Court Records. See Prison Records.

Other instances where people change their name include:

• non-British settlers who may anglicize their names to fit in.
• persons of enemy origin who during and after wartime faced persecution and changed their name to escape this. Examples of this include German-Australians during the first and second World Wars and Italian-Australians during the second World War.