VPRS 11770 Deed Polls/Change of Name Registration Documents

This series comprises Deed Polls / Change of Name documents deposited in the Office of the Registrar General. Under section 189 of the Real Property Act 1890 (No.1136) and the subsequent Property Law Acts, Deed Poll / Change of Name instruments were deposited in the Office of Registrar-General. The original provision was designed to provide notification of change of name in the case of land dealings. Following the proclamation on 31 October 1986 of section 37 of the Births, Deaths and Marriages (Amendment) Act 1985 (No.10244), the deed polls deposited in the Office of the Registrar-General were transferred to the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages. In 1986, the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages became responsible for the registration of name changes, recording of changes in the Birth Register and issuing new birth certificates. Under section 37 of the Act any person aged eighteen years and over who changed their name was required to deposit the change of name documents and have the name entered in the Register of Change of Name.