Last Name Change

You can do a person search-

freeality.com has good links for that

and to change your daughter's last name you will need to look into your local courthouse for the paperwork required. If dad has gone MIA you may
be able to petition the courts on the basis of him disappearing, and potentially start a case against him to collect on back-owed child support payments. I would also look into how to get him to terminate parental rights.

http://www.namechangelaw.com/states/nc/northcarolina.htm

Good luck!

its pretty simple get a lawyer and they put in a name change order in the courts. we just did this with my 6 year old who we are trying to have adopted by my hubby

I am not a legal exper but my belief is that you are going to need your daughters birth fathers permission to do this, since his name is on the birth certificate. The fact that he has not paid any child support will actually work in your favor...you can use this as a "bargaining chip" with him...to hopefully convince him that it is in his favor to go along with this.I would suggest that you talk to a lawyer because you are going to need one eventually anyway and there is no reason to start stirring things up with your ex until you know what you need to do. Are you wanting to have your present husband adopt your daughter, I would certainly not change her name to his last name if this is not going to be a life long situation for her. She doesn't need to ever feel again like the "father" in her life isn't there for her in every way possible!!

You have to call an attorney. When I was younger the laws were different but my real dad took off and after 2 yrs my mom got remarried. In order for her new husband to adopt me and have my name changed she had to get his permission. She could not find him so the rule was that she had to try to find him, place an ad in the paper looking for him, etc and if he did not respond in a few months, it would be done legally. That was 40 yrs ago.
Just call and ask or even google state of NC name change laws. You could probably even call the social security office to find out the laws in your state on that. I would try all that before giving money to an attorney.

I too live in NC and we are working at changing names. I had to either have their birth dad say it was ok and sign for it so I could, or I had to go to court and get his rights. We went with the rights. He was a no show so that went easy now we are just waiting on the money to change their names. It has to be done through the court. Where I am at it is going to be close up to 1,000 dollars to get the names changed. I wish you all the best.

We changed our sons name from my maiden name to his father's (my now hubands) name and we both had to be physically present to petition the court to do it. It was about $50 to do it, which included court costs, and a new birth certificate. I'm not sure what you can do it he's not present, or able to be found, but I'm sure if you call your county court house someone can let you know the process you'll have to take. Good luck!

Call the Clerk of Court in the county in which you live and ask the proper procedure. They are the ones who will know for sure the proper channels. Different procedures are followed state to state and county to county. Best wishes!!