As of the 1st of July 2024, you can change your last name if you have a surname that stems from a slave name. The purpose of this law is to address the damage that families can suffer from their ancestral history with slavery.

Previously, we wrote about new legislation pending in The Netherlands making changing a last name from the time of slavery easier. Up until now you had to prove psychological trauma from having a surname deriving from slavery to have it changed and there was a significant cost attached. With the new law, you no longer need a psychological evaluation or to pay a fee of € 835 to change your last name.

Are there limitations to the name change request for a slave name?

Yes, there are. You can only change your name in the following ways:

• reverse letters in your current surname,
• add or remove a prefix or suffix from your current last name,
• choose the surname of another parent or ancestor or
• choose a completely new surname that is not yet registered in the Netherlands.

To ensure that you choose a new last name that is not yet in use in the Netherlands, you can check the Dutch Surname bank of the Center for Family History to see whether your desired surname already occurs in the Netherlands.

Which documents do I need to provide to change a slave name?

You will need:

• Fully filled in application form that you can find and download here,
• A certified copy of your birth certificate,
• A copy of your ID or passport,
• A personal statement in which you declare that you are indeed a descendant of a slave,
• In the case of choosing the surname of another parent or ancestor, you will need to prove that you are indeed related. For this you will need at least two additional documents: a family tree (which proves that you are a descendant of a slave/ slaves) and additional proof of familial connection which shows the direct bond between you and the ancestor (think about a birth register, death certificate or church register evidence. A birth announcement or newspaper clipping is not sufficient),
• Lastly, you will need a permission statement, if you are choosing the last name of an ancestor/ relative that is still alive.

What does the procedure look like?

You can submit your application form and documents digitally to Justis (a department of the Dutch Ministry of Justice). You do not need legal representation or a lawyer for this.

After Justis has received the documents, they will check your request and send a confirmation letter. It can take up to 20 weeks before they reach a decision. If you do not agree with the decision, you can file an appeal, at no additional cost, within 6 weeks after the decision date.

If you have children, be mindful of the fact that their last name will change along with yours if they carry your last name. You will need to request new ID documents for them as well once your request has been granted.

If you have any questions regarding the procedure, or your request has been refused, please feel free to contact us.

_{This article was co-written by Elena Cornelisse.}

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