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DEFINITION: Voluntary and involuntary changing of family surnames by immigrants

Name change is the process of legally changing a name given at the time of birth, adoption, or marriage. In the United States, legal name changes are regulated at the state level, with the procedures varying between states. In some states, using a new name without formal paperwork is sufficient for a common-law name change but may not apply to official documents and identification unless accompanied by a state-sanctioned court order. Individuals applying for legal name change in their state of residence are also responsible for following procedures to have their names changed with federal government agencies, including the Social Security Administration, Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and Selective Service System.

During World War I, King George V of England issued a proclamation which changed the name of Great Britain's royal family from Hanover to Windsor, and this decree was effective on July 17, 1917. The British royal family had German roots, dating back to 1714 when George I of Hanover took the throne. George I could barely speak English, and much of his reign was devoted to fighting wars back in his native Germany. The House of Hanover became the House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha in 1840, after Queen Victoria married Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, who was also a German. However, the royal household's name became something of an embarrassment after the outbreak of World War I, when Great Britain's most formidable enemy was the nation of Germany. The strong anti-German sentiment among the population prompted King George V to change the family's name. The name Windsor was taken from Windsor Castle, one of the royal family's principal residences. George V's successors were Edward VIII, George VI, and then Elizabeth II, who remains Britain's monarch as of the writing of this book. With some modifications, they have retained the name of Windsor ever since.

Hispanics/Latinos portrayed in early films were predominantly Mexicans or Mexican Americans, given the vast number of Westerns produced by the American film industry. Puerto Ricans, as an ethnic group, began to appear in later decades, generally in an urban setting.