Saskatchewan Ancestors: The Name Change Index of the SGS

I\’m sure most of us have found an ancestor who changed their name. Unfortunately, we don\’t always get a paper trail showing it. If you have an ancestor who lived in Saskatchewan though, you\’re in luck.

In 1933 the Saskatchewan government passed legislation formalizing the process of changing one\’s name. First an application would be made to the Provincial Secretary. Then the application would be published in the Saskatchewan Gazette, and the applicant\’s local newspaper. Once approved, the certificate was also published in the Gazette and local newspaper. The rules for application were as follows:

• Applicant must be at least 21
• Married women could only change from their married surname if their husband was deceased
• Married men could not change his name, his wife\’s, or their unmarried children\’s names under 21 without his wife\’s consent

In 1941, The Change of Name Act was amended so that people who changed their name before entering the province could formally register their name. In 1947 the following changes were made:

• Any one over the age of 18 could change their name, even if married or widowed
• The applicant could only change the name of a child 14 or older with the written consent that child
• The certificates would no longer be published in the Saskatchewan Gazette

Even though the process was finalized in 1933, there are applications that go back to 1917. Included in the application would be the full name of the applicant, their wife, and their residence. It also included the names and ages of any minor children. Lastly, it included the proposed name change.

The Saskatchewan Genealogical Society has given researchers a huge leg up with their research by compiling a series of indexes

http://www.saskgenealogy.com/databases/change_of_names/

Compiled by D\’Arcy Hande, Debbie Moyer, and Rae Chamberlain, they cover the years from 1917-1993. The first index, 1917-1950 is set up with the following headings:

• Original Surname
• Original Name
• Address (town or jurisdiction)
• New Surname
• New Name
• Notice (when the application appeared in the Gazette)
• Certificate (when the approval was published)