<Li> the old name is very common and leads to confusion; </Li> <Li> the old name is overly long or very difficult to spell or pronounce (especially with names of former nobility and of citizens with non-German ancestry); or </Li> <Li> the old name has negative connotations or is easily ridiculed . </Li> <P> Otherwise, name changes will normally not be granted . </P>

Where did the last name shepherd come from