Changing Your Last Name After Divorce: A Comprehensive Guide

After a divorce, many people choose to revert back to their maiden name or adopt a new last name entirely. Changing your last name after divorce can be a powerful step towards starting a new chapter in your life. This guide will provide you with a comprehensive overview of the process, including legal requirements, practical considerations, and tips for making the transition smoothly.
1. **Anderson:** Son of Anders, meaning "man" or "human being."
2. **Bailey:** From the place name "Bailey," meaning "bailiff" or "court official."
3. **Baker:** A person who bakes bread or other pastries.
4. **Barnes:** From the place name "Barnes," meaning "barley field."
5. **Bell:** A person who makes or sells bells.
6. **Bennett:** From the Old French "bene," meaning "good," and "fait," meaning "made," indicating "well-made."
7. **Bishop:** A high-ranking official in a Christian church.
8. **Black:** A person with dark hair, eyes, and skin.
9. **Blake:** From the Old English "blac," meaning "black," possibly referring to a person with dark hair or a dark complexion.
10. **Brown:** A person with brown hair, eyes, or skin.
11. **Campbell:** From the Gaelic "caman," meaning "crooked," and "beil," meaning "mouth," referring to a person who lived by a winding river or stream.
12. **Carter:** A person who transports goods by cart.
13. **Clark:** From the Old English "clerc," meaning "scholar" or "scribe."
14. **Collins:** From the place name "Collins," meaning "son of Collin."
15. **Cook:** A person who prepares and cooks food.
16. **Cooper:** A person who makes barrels or casks.
17. **Cox:** From the Old English "coxa," meaning "hip," possibly referring to a person who was skilled in a particular physical task.
18. **Davis:** From the Welsh "Dafydd," meaning "beloved."
19. **Dean:** A person who is the head of a cathedral or college.
20. **Diaz:** From the Spanish "Díaz," meaning "son of Diego."
21. **Edwards:** From the Old English "Eadweard," meaning "wealthy guardian."
22. **Evans:** From the Welsh "Evan," meaning "God is gracious."
23. **Fisher:** A person who catches fish for a living.
24. **Foster:** From the Old English "fostre," meaning "to nourish" or "to rear."
25. **Fox:** A person who is cunning or sly.
26. **Garcia:** From the Spanish "García," meaning "spearman."
27. **Gardner:** A person who cultivates a garden.
28. **Gilbert:** From the Old German "gilb," meaning "bright" or "yellow," and "heri," meaning "army."
29. **Gonzalez:** From the Spanish "González," meaning "son of Gonzalo."
30. **Gray:** A person with gray hair, eyes, or skin.
31. **Green:** A person with green eyes or skin, or who lives near a green place.
32. **Hall:** From the Old English "heall," meaning "hall" or "large room."
33. **Harris:** From the Old English "hari," meaning "army," and "ric," meaning "powerful."
34. **Harvey:** From the Old English "Hereweard," meaning "army guard."
35. **Hayes:** From the place name "Hayes," meaning "enclosure" or "hedge."
36. **Henderson:** From the Old English "hend," meaning "kind" or "gentle," and "son," meaning "son."
37. **Hernandez:** From the Spanish "Hernández," meaning "son of Hernando."
38. **Hill:** A person who lives on or near a hill.
39. **Holmes:** From the Old English "holm," meaning "island," referring to a person who lived on an island or near a body of water.
40. **Howard:** From the Old English "Hereweard," meaning "army guard."
41. **Jackson:** From the place name "Jackson," meaning "son of Jack."
42. **James:** From the Hebrew "Ya'akov," meaning "supplanter" or "he who seizes by the heel."
43. **Jenkins:** From the Welsh "Jenkin," meaning "little John."
44. **Johnson:** From the Old English "John," meaning "God is gracious."
45. **Jones:** From the Welsh "John," meaning "God is gracious."
46. **Kelly:** From the Irish "Ó Caoimhín," meaning "descendant of Caoimhín."
47. **King:** A person who rules a country or kingdom.
48. **Knight:** A person who was granted the honor of knighthood.
49. **Lee:** From the Old English "lēah," meaning "meadow" or "clearing."
50. **Lewis:** From the Welsh "Llywelyn," meaning "lion-like."
51. **Lopez:** From the Spanish "López," meaning "son of Lope."
52. **Martin:** From the Roman god of war, Mars.
53. **Martinez:** From the Spanish "Martínez," meaning "son of Martín."
54. **Miller:** A person who grinds grain into flour.
55. **Mitchell:** From the Old French "Michel," meaning "who is like God."
56. **Moore:** From the Old English "mōr," meaning "moor" or "swamp."
57. **Morgan:** From the Welsh "Mor," meaning "sea," and "gan," meaning "born."
58. **Murphy:** From the Irish "Ó Murchadha," meaning "descendant of Murchadh."
59. **Nelson:** From the Old English "neof," meaning "new," and "sunu," meaning "son."
60. **Nguyen:** From the Vietnamese "Nguyễn," meaning "original" or "first."
61. **Oliver:** From the Old French "Olive," meaning "olive tree."
62. **Parker:** From the Old French "parc," meaning "park" or "enclosure."
63. **Patterson:** From the place name "Patterson," meaning "son of Patrick."
64. **Perez:** From the Spanish "Pérez," meaning "son of Pedro."
65. **Phillips:** From the Greek "Philippus," meaning "lover of horses."
66. **Powell:** From the Welsh "ap Hywel," meaning "son of Hywel."
67. **Price:** From the Old French "prix," meaning "price" or "value."
68. **Reed:** From the Old English "hrēod," meaning "reed" or "marsh."
69. **Reyes:** From the Spanish "Reyes," meaning "kings."
70. **Rice:** From the Old English "rīce," meaning "powerful" or "rich."
71. **Richardson:** From the Old English "Richard," meaning "strong ruler."
72. **Rivera:** From the Spanish "Rivera," meaning "riverbank."
73. **Roberts:** From the Old English "Robert," meaning "bright fame."
74. **Robinson:** From the Old English "Robin," meaning "bright fame," and "son," meaning "son."
75. **Rodriguez:** From the Spanish "Rodríguez," meaning "son of Rodrigo."
76. **Rogers:** From the Old English "Roger," meaning "famous spearman."
77. **Ross:** From the Gaelic "ros," meaning "headland" or "promontory."
78. **Russell:** From the Old French "rousel," meaning "red" or "russet."
79. **Sanders:** From the place name "Sanders," meaning "son of Alexander."
80. **Scott:** From the Gaelic "Scota," meaning "a Scottish person."
81. **Shaw:** From the Old English "scēa," meaning "wood" or "forest."
82. **Shepherd:** A person who tends to sheep.
83. **Simmons:** From the Old English "Simon," meaning "he who listens."
84. **Smith:** A person who works with metal, especially iron.
85. **Snider:** From the Old English "snīþ," meaning "to cut" or "to carve."
86. **Snow:** From the Old English "snāw," meaning "snow."
87. **Spencer:** From the Old French "espencier," meaning "steward" or "treasurer."
88. **Stewart:** From the Old English "steward," meaning "keeper" or "manager."
89. **Stone:** From the Old English "stān," meaning "stone."
90. **Taylor:** A person who cuts and sews cloth.
91. **Thomas:** From the Aramaic "T'oma," meaning "twin."
92. **Thompson:** From the Old English "Thomas," meaning "twin," and "son," meaning "son."
93. **Turner:** A person who works with wood, especially making barrels or casks.
94. **Walker:** A person who walks or travels.
95. **Wallace:** From the Gaelic "Uallas," meaning "foreigner" or "stranger."
96. **Ward:** From the Old English "weard," meaning "guard" or "protector."
97. **Washington:** From the place name "Washington," meaning "dweller by the spring."
98. **Watson:** From the Old English "Walter," meaning "ruler of the army," and "son," meaning "son."
99. **Weaver:** A person who weaves cloth.
100. **Wells:** From the Old English "well," meaning "spring" or "source of water."
101. **West:** From the Old English "west," meaning "west."
102. **White:** A person with white hair, eyes, or skin.
103. **Williams:** From the Old English "William," meaning "resolute protector."
104. **Wilson:** From the Old English "William," meaning "resolute protector," and "son," meaning "son."
105. **Wright:** From the Old English "wriht," meaning "worker" or "craftsman."
106. **Young:** A person who is not yet old.