While becoming less common for a variety of reasons, the tradition of a bride taking her new husband’s last name is still the expectation for many after marriage. This (or any other) type of name change after marriage is not automatic, however, and requires some relatively simple but necessary actions on your part.


Likewise, divorce does not automatically revert a changed last name to the pre-marriage last name in Illinois. Again, a simple but necessary process must be taken.;
, An official, certified copy of your marriage license is sufficient cause in Illinois to undergo a name change. No separate decrees or court orders are required.


Until quite recently in many states, only brides could take on the husband’s last name (or a hyphenated combination of both last names) using the marriage certificate as the only legal authorization. However, due to various legal challenges and especially the growing legalization of same-sex marriage (valid in Illinois since June 2014), such policies are in flux.
In Illinois, both spouses are “entitled to a one-time change of their last name,”which includes hyphenation or taking the name of the other spouse. No change is required, though.
Illinois law in fact seems to indicate that a married person can take on an entirely new name through this process (not the spouse’s name or hyphenated), but that again is an area that is somewhat vague in a rapidly changing field., In Illinois as in most states, the easiest way to change your name due to divorce is to make it a part of the divorce decree itself. When done this way, no separate legal actions or fees are necessary.


On general divorce decree forms that are valid in most if not all U.S. states, there is normally a section (at number nine on the example cited here) that authorizes a name change as part of the decree.This process, however, entitles you only to revert to your maiden name or another former legal name. Otherwise, you will have to undertake a separate legal process.
 One of these documents, along with proof of your previous legal name, should be all that is required to change your name on your Social Security card, Illinois driver’s license / ID card, and other such changes.


See the relevant Method in this article for useful information on making these changes.
Don’t assume your name has changed through marriage or divorce.
Use your marriage license as valid proof for a name change.
Change your name as part of your divorce decree.
Use your official marriage license or divorce decree as your legal authorization to make additional name-change measures.
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