For some, it’s a dream: having a particle in your last name suddenly sounds much more chic! And we immediately imagine that this necessarily goes hand in hand with a title of nobility. Except that…
Who has never dreamed, if only for the pleasure of an elegant signature, of swapping their classic surname for a specific name? On the Internet, offers are flourishing: for a few dozen euros, sites promise you to become “Lady” or “Baroness” by purchasing a tiny plot of land in Scotland, for example. An original gift… but which has no legal value in France. And we must not confuse title of nobility and particle.
Indeed, contrary to popular belief, the particle – like “de” or “des” in a family name – is not the automatic sign of a title of nobility, but often a simple element of the family name. In France, the principle is strict: the name is immutable. So you can’t buy a particle. However, since the procedures for changing your name have been simplified, it is easier to bear the name of your mother or both parents. So, if one of your parents has a particle, you can get it back for free. EIf you wish to add it to your civil status, there is only one way: the administrative route.
Furthermore, the nobility has no longer legally existed in the French republic for a long time but the titles acquired by certain families in the past, such as Duke, Marquis or even Count, are still protected. We cannot sell them and we cannot create them either: the State has no longer issued new titles since the Second Empire!
The transmission is regulated and only the Minister of Justice can confirm the investiture of a title, generally transmitted by the men of the family. However, many families have lost their particle over the centuries through simple administrative omission and you can embark on an investigation into your family tree. A “name survey” is a long procedure, but it is the only way to obtain a specific name recognized by the Republic…
If you fall for a “Lord” style certificate, purchased online, keep in mind that this will remain purely honorary. The French administration will refuse to write these customary distinctions on your official documents.
