§ 40:34.2 — Original birth certificate; required contents; name of child

Louisiana § 40:34.2

• Jurisdiction: Louisiana
• Title 40: Public Health and Safety

Text

§34.2. Original birth certificate; required contents; name of child
The name of the child shall be entered on the original birth certificate in accordance
with the following provisions:
(1) First name.
(a) If the child dies without a first name before the certificate is filed, enter the words
"died unnamed" in this blank.
(b) If the living child has not yet been given a first name at the date of filing of the
certificate, leave blank the space for the first name of the child and enter the name later when
supplied by affidavit.
(2) Surname.
(a) Unless otherwise provided by law and except as provided in Subparagraph (c) of
this Paragraph, if the child is born to a mother who either is married or was married within
three hundred days prior to the birth of the child, the surname of the child shall be recorded
in accordance with the following requirements:
(i) If the mother is married at the time of the birth of the child, and if the mother was
not married to another man within three hundred days prior to the birth of the child, the
surname of the child shall be the surname of the current husband of the mother.
(ii) If the mother, though married to one man at the time of the birth of the child, was
married to another man within three hundred days prior to the birth of the child, the surname
of the child shall be the surname of the former husband of the mother.
(iii) If the mother, though unmarried at the time of the birth of the child, was married
to a man within three hundred days prior to the birth of the child, the surname of the child
shall be the surname of the former husband of the mother.
(iv) In any of these cases, if both the man whose surname should be given to the
child and the mother agree, the surname of the child may be the maiden name or surname of
the mother or a combination of the surname of the man and the maiden name or surname of
the mother.
(b) If the child is born to a mother who neither is married nor was married within
three hundred days prior to the birth of the child, the surname of the child shall be the maiden
name or surname of the mother, at her discretion. If the father has acknowledged his child
by authentic act and if both the mother and the father agree, the surname of the child may be
the maiden name or surname of the mother, the surname of the father, or a combination of
the surname of the father and the maiden name or surname of the mother.
(c) In the case of a child born to a mother who either is married or was married
within three hundred days prior to the birth of the child, including cases in which both a
person presumed to be the father pursuant to the Civil Code and a biological father exist, the
surname of the biological father who has been judicially declared to be the father of the child
in a filiation or paternity proceeding shall be the surname of the child. If the biological father
and the mother agree, the surname of the child shall be the maiden name or surname of the
mother or a combination of the surname of the biological father and the maiden name or
surname of the mother.
(d) In the case of a child born of a surrogate birth parent as a result of an enforceable
gestational carrier contract, as provided in R.S. 9:2720, the surname of the child's biological
parents shall be the surname of the child.
(e) In any case provided for in this Paragraph, if the mother or the man whose
surname may be given to the child possesses both a paternal and maternal surname according
to national custom or practice, the surname of the child may be consistent with the national
custom or practice of the mother or man.

Legislative History

Acts 2016, No. 434, §3; Acts 2016, No. 494, §2; Acts 2018, No. 21, §1, eff. May 7, 2018; Acts 2022, No. 645, §1.