The use of double-barrelled surnames is still a novel concept in Belgium and other western European countries but is rapidly increasing in popularity, statistics show. 7,764 children received a double surname in 2022 compared to 7,026 in 2021, SPF Justice announced on Thursday.
In 2022, 112,252 children were born in Belgium. Of those, 7,764 received a double-barrelled last name. This still represents a small minority – around 7% of total recorded births.
Of those given a double-barrelled surname, 1,413 children took their mother’s first name first, followed by the father’s, while 6,190 were given their father’s name first. 160 children were assigned the name of their co-mother first.
Since May 2014, a modification to the Belgian Civil Code allows parents and adopters to choose to give their children one or both of their names, in the order they wish.
Related News
- Births in Flemish hospitals fell in 2022
- Nearly half of Belgians don't feel protected by law enforcement
Double-barrelled surnames are growing in popularity, as they serve to prevent the mother’s matrilineage from being lost when naming a child. This type of surname also clearly allows the children’s patrilineage to be preserved.
