Need to contact the Social Security office. We just got married and my wife changed her last name. Needs birth certificate, SS card and ID. They cannot be copies.

https://www.findlaw.com/state/pennsylvania-law/how-to-change-your-name-in-pennsylvania.html

• It depends on whether this is due to marriage/divorce or just want to change your last name, because. For the latter you need to file a court petition:
  Pennsylvania Statutes Title 54 Pa.C.S.A. Names § 701 https://codes.findlaw.com/pa/title-54-pacsa-names/pa-csa-sect-54-701.html

For marriage is there any process? Millions of women do this on marriage.

>"Marriage is the easiest time to change your last name. Pennsylvania permits a spouse to change their last name while applying for a marriage certificate. Simply list your new last name on the marriage certificate along with your former (or maiden) name. Once the marriage ceremony is performed and the license is issued, the marriage license changes your name and serves as legal proof."

This, not sure if they are still following 2020 COVID policies. We legit had to mail in the documents this year for my wife to change her name, and then wait a few weeks for them to mail them back. Hopefully this is no longer the case.

It is. We had to go into the office in Harrisburg to do it. The wait was like 20 minutes and it took less than 5 to process the paperwork and have us on our way. They legit expect people to mail their driver's license or go get a photo ID.

Google doesn’t have ads when I searched how to change last name in Pennsylvania.

This article is accurate from my experience. Marriage and divorce are simple. Everything else has steps. The state has a vested interest in making sure you aren't dodging debts, criminal procesecution, etc. which is why these steps are there.

Note that the lien/judgement search must be done in EVERY county you have lived in. Probably also needs done anywhere that you have lived out of state. Depending on the county, one of the newspaper circulars may be required to be a legal journal. The prothonotary should have the form, but some counties may also have it available online. Also some counties (Philadelphia) want you to do your fingerprinting BEFORE submitting the petition. Bottom line, to do it right, ask the prothonotary what their court's civil procedure requires or follow what directions are published on that county court's website.

Edit: Also, in my experience, the petition will be heard before a judge, meaning you will appear in court for a hearing. Anyone who objects may be present to voice their objections. I can't imagine any objections beyond those holding a debt similar would be considered. If your father, Joe Schmoe Jr. doesn't want you to change your name away from Joe Schmoe III for reasons of heritage or family lines, a judge isn't likely to force you to live with the name on those grounds.

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My husband and I both changed our last names about a year after we were married. We picked something we both liked.

The attached is what we did. If you don't want to trust the link, contact your state representative and ask their office. It's their job to give you instructions.

Basically, we had to go to court with a form to explain why we wanted to change it and the new name we wanted. Then we had to prove we were serious by jumping through hoops- take out a classified ad in 2 newspapers in a certain time, cough up some cash and file paperwork. Go BACK to court with all the hoop jumping proof. Get a stack of new-name forms with the court seal notarized. Then submit our new name notarized stamped forms to a bunch of places.

It's not easy but it ain't sleazy. Dotted i's and crossed t's.