In strict English law, if there is such a thing as a ""legal"" surname, it is easily changed. In the words of "A dictionary of American and English law", "Any one may take on himself whatever surname or as many surnames as he pleases, without statutory licence". This does not always seem to have applied to names given in baptism. As noted by Sir Edward Coke in "Institutes of the Lawes of England", "a man may have divers names at divers times, but not divers Christian names." But in modern practice all names are freely changeable.