In Spain, upon marrying, one does not change one's surname. In some instances, such as high society meetings, the partner's surname can be added after the person's surnames using the preposition de (of). Also Know, how do Spanish last names work? Surnames. In Spanish cultures, people traditionally have 2 surnames. The first is the paternal surname (apellido paterno), the father's first surname, and the second is the maternal surname (apellido materno), the mother's first surname.
How do Spanish last names work?
How do Spanish last names work? Historically, it is Spanish tradition for an individual to be known by both the paternal and maternal surnames in that order. (In Portugal or Brazil that order is reversed).
Can you be Spanish and not have two surnames?
As Spaniards must have two surnames, you will have to come up with an extra surname. Many foreigners choose their middle name as first surname or use their mother’s maiden name as second surname. Basically, you cannot be Spanish and not have two surnames.
Can you have a maiden name in Spain?
In Spain, the tradition of women adopting their husband’s family name does not exist, and it is a custom I (and most Spanish women would agree) find weird and do not understand. There are no maiden names or married names. You simply have your name, which you do not give up or change. How do you refer to families?
Why do Mexicans have two last names?
Mexicans are given two first names for a variety of reasons that range from religious to cultural and family reasons. However, when it comes to the last names, there is a traditional system for passing down a surname, or “apellido.” In the example above, “Rodriguez Lopez” are both surnames.
Which last name comes first in Spanish when married?
The two surnames refer to each of the parental families. Traditionally, a person's first surname is the father's first surname (apellido paterno), while their second surname is the mother's first surname (apellido materno).
Do Spanish wives take their husband's last name?
Most countries in western Europe, UK and the US follow the same pattern; married women enjoy the right to take the husband's surname upon marriage. Spain has a different tradition though, married women bear two different surnames: the father's first surname and the mother's first surname, where the order can be chosen.
How do Mexican last names work when married?
Within the Hispanic tradition, the woman does not change her surnames when she gets married. Instead, the combination of our parents' first surnames represents the unity of two families and the formation of a new one. Hence, both surnames carry great value for many Hispanics.
Which last name goes first in Spanish?
paternalIn Spain and Spanish American countries, except Argentina, each person has two surnames. Traditionally, the first surname is paternal and comes from the father, while the second surname is maternal and comes from the mother.
What are the rules for double surnames in Spain?
There are four basic rules to surname inheritance in Spain:Everyone has two last names.Your first last name is your father's first last name.Your second last name is your mother's first last name.Women do not change their last names when they get married.
How do last names work in Spain?
Spaniards have a personal name(s) followed by two surnames – the father's paternal family name and then the mother's paternal family name. For example: Hector Marίa GONZALEZ LÓPEZ. People may have two personal names (e.g. Hector Marίa). The second personal name does not always reflect the gender of the person.
Does the wife take the husband's last name in Mexico?
People may have two personal names (e.g. Hector Marίa). The second personal name does not always reflect the gender of the person. In this case, the first of the two may be used on its own, but the second should not be. It is not customary for Mexican women to adopt their husband's surname at marriage.
When you have 2 last names which one do you use?
A hyphenated last name is a combined last name of two spouses. A hyphenated last name my also be called a double surname or double-barrelled surname. For example, Sarah Smith marries Adam Jones. A hyphenated last name would be Smith-Jones or Jones-Smith.
Which last name goes first?
You can go the "traditional" route and list your "maiden" name first, or you could choose to list your new last name first, followed by your original last name.
How do you alphabetize Hispanic last names?
Alphabetize Spanish names by the full surnames. Even persons commonly known by the maternal portions of their surnames, such as Lorca, should be alphabetized by their full surnames. A biographical dictionary may provide assistance in distinguishing surnames and given names.
How do Spanish write their names?
Spanish names do not follow the first name + middle name + surname structure. They are made of first name + first surname + second surname. Exactly. Spaniards do not have middle names, but they do have two family names.
Can you combine two last names?
Every state has its own rules on what you can and can't do regarding name changes after marriage. In most states, you have the option to take your spouse's last name, hyphenate your last names, use two last names without a hyphen, or move your maiden name to your middle name and take your spouse's last name.
What is the correct order for Spanish surnames (such as Alexandre Manuel de la Vega Martíne) in family trees?
What is the person’s “real” last name? In phone books, your ancestor would probably be listed as Vega Martínez, Alexandre Manuel de la. Using the first surname ( Vega) is a good general rule. Don’t start with the prepositions, or most of your family tree will be alphabetized under d or y. Since genealogists care about maiden names, women should be entered under their first surname regardless of whether they changed their names upon marriage: Torres Sepúlveda, María Josefa
Did women take their husband's name?
Until the mid-1800s, women didn’t take their husbands’ surname upon marriage. More recently, a woman who married a Martínez would attach the married surname de Martínez to her first single (paternal) surname. So a woman born María Josefa Torres Sepúlveda would become María Josefa Torres de Martínez once she married.
How Do Spanish Last Names Work?
Although there are numerous variations of how names are handled, just as there can be in English, the basic rule of Spanish names is fairly simple: In general, a person born into a Spanish-speaking family is given a first name followed by two surnames, the first being the father's family name (or, more precisely, the surname he gained from his father) followed by the mother's family name (or, again more precisely, the surname she gained from her father). In a sense, then, native Spanish speakers are born with two last names.
Why did Spanish people have two names?
The practice of a person being given two family names became the custom in Spain largely because of Arabic influence. The custom spread to the Americas during the years of Spanish Conquest.
What name does the husband use?
The name the husband uses would be Elí Arroyo y López. You may see names that are even longer. Although it isn't done much, at least formally, it is possible also to include grandparents' names in the mix. If the full name is shortened, usually the second surname name is dropped.
How to see how Spanish names are constructed?
You can see how Spanish names are constructed by looking at the names of several famous people born in Spanish-speaking countries. Fathers' names are listed first:
Where do last names come from?
Last names come from both the mother and father. Gerald Erichsen is a Spanish language expert who has created Spanish lessons for ThoughtCo since 1998. Last names, or surnames, in Spanish aren't treated the same way as they are in English.
Do you hyphenate the names of two people?
Also quite common is to hyphenate the two names, e.g., Elí Arroyo-López and Teresa García-Ramírez. Couples who have been in the United States a long time, particularly if they speak English, are more likely to give their children the father's name, following the dominant U.S. pattern. But practices vary.
Who is the Cuban president?
The full name of Cuban President Raúl Castro is Raúl Modesto Castro Ruz. He is the son of Ángel Castro Argiz and Lina Ruz González.
When did the last name of Spain become common?
For example, the common naming practice of the two last names, which started in 16th Century Spain, did not become common until the 1800s. That is really not that long ago!
Why is it important to understand the Latinx last name system?
It is so important to understand this system to make sure that their records are filed and classified appropriately. Plus, it is just fun to learn of another naming convention in other cultures!
Where do children take their father's last name?
Instead of the traditional way that is done in the United States, where the child takes only the father’s last name, most families in Spain and Latin America give their children both the father’s and mother’s last names.
Does Spain have a last name order?
In Spain, it has become more common to switch the traditional order of last names. When a child is born, parents must decide whose last name goes first. (Most still choose the father’s last name, but it is now an option to have the mother’s name go first.) I personally love this system.
Is Ortega his mother's last name?
Ortega is his mother’s last name. This will be his name his whole life. Ana María Romero Ayala: Ana María is the person’s first name – not first and middle name – but her whole first name. Romero is Ana María’s father’s last name. Ayala is her mother’s last name.
Why do some surnames end with ez?
Names are not double-barreled but are kept separate. The reason that so many surnames end with -ez is because originally that ending meant “the son / daughter of”, thus Sanchez= hijo de Sancho and Lopez = hijo de Lope. Also in the past names had “and” or “y” as well but this was dropped.
Do Spanish women keep their birth name?
Spanish women always keep their own birth name; it never changes. So if they marry Alberto Molina Sanchez and their name is Ana Macia Perez, then they keep that name; it does not change.
Why do people hyphenate their last names in Spanish?
In an English-speaking environment, Spanish-named people sometimes hyphenate their surnames to avoid Anglophone confusion or to fill in forms with only one space provided for the last name: for example, the Puerto Rican U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez 's surname is Ocasio-Cortez, in which her parents' surnames are Ocasio-Roman and Ocasio-Cortez (née Cortez). She made emphasis a few times not to confuse her surname as Cortez.
How many surnames are there in Spain?
Currently in Spain, people bear a single or composite given name ( nombre in Spanish) and two surnames ( apellidos in Spanish).
What is the suffix for "son of"?
Following the Visigothic invasion of the Iberian peninsula, the local population adopted to a large extent a patronymic naming system: the suffix -icī (a Latin genitive meaning son of) would be attached to the name of a man's father. This suffix gradually evolved into different local forms, depending on the language. For example, the son of Fernando would be called:
What does "h" mean in Spanish?
h. (son of): A man named like his father, might append the lower-case suffix h. (denoting hijo, son) to his surname, thus distinguishing himself, Juan Gómez Marcos, h., from his father, Juan Gómez Marcos; the English analogue is "Jr." ( junior ).
What is the vowel sound of the maternal surname?
Moreover, when the maternal surname begins with an i vowel sound, written with either the vowel I ( Ibarra ), the vowel Y ( Ybarra archaic spelling) or the combination Hi + consonant ( Higueras ), Spanish euphony substitutes e in place of y, thus the example of the Spanish statesman Eduardo Dato e Iradier (1856–1921).
How to index Spanish and Hispanophone names?
In English, the Chicago Manual of Style recommends that Spanish and Hispanophone names be indexed by the family name. When there are two family names, the indexing is done under the father's family name; this would be the first element of the surname if the father's and mother's or husband's family names are joined by a y. Depending upon the person involved, the particle de may be treated as a part of a family name or it may be separated from a family name. The indexing of Hispanophone names differs from that of Portuguese or Lusophone names, where the final element of the name is indexed because the Portuguese custom is for the father's surname to follow, rather than precede, the mother's. The effect is that the father's surname is the one indexed for both Spanish and Portuguese names.
What is the name of the Spanish president who was elected in 2004?
For example, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero (elected President of the Spanish Government in the 2004 and 2008 general elections) is often called simply Zapatero, the name he inherited from his mother's family since Rodríguez is a common surname and may be ambiguous.
How many surnames do Spaniards have?
As I mentioned above, Spaniards have two surnames. The first one is inherited from your dad (which he inherited from his dad), and the second one is inherited from your mum (which she inherited from her dad). In Spain, everyone must have two surnames.
Why is it important to not change your name?
Not changing your name also makes it easier to trace back your ancestors, as you can work out everyone’s siblings and parents through surnames in an easier way than in other cultures.
What are some compound names that remind of middle names?
Many use a shortened version of their compound names in everyday life: Marijose (María José), Juanan (Juan Antonio) or Luismi (Luis Miguel). That said, some compound names can remind of middle names when they are not one of the ‘classics’.
What goes first, your dad or mum?
Usually, your dad’s surname will go first, followed by your mum’s. Until 2000, parents could choose to reverse the order, but needed to submit a statement confirming they both agreed. If they did not agree, legal preference was given to the paternal surname, but not anymore. A new law passed on 29 June 2017 (it came into force on 30 June 2018) eliminating the ‘your dad’s surname first’ default option and allowing parents to decide which surname goes first within the first three days after their child is born (the same order will apply to all future children). If no agreement is reached by then, it is up to the Civil Registry’s officer to decide the order of the surnames.
Do Spanish names follow the middle name?
Spanish names do not follow the first name + middle name + surname structure. They are made of first name + first surname + second surname. Exactly. Spaniards do not have middle names, but they do have two family names. For example, my full name is Irene Corchado Resmella.
Who is Irene Corchado?
IRENE CORCHADO RESMELLA is a Spanish translator and content writer based in Edinburgh. A Spanish sworn translator and Chartered Linguist, she specialises in Legal, Marketing and Travel translation. Irene combines her linguistic skills with her knowledge of content marketing and a creative mind to help you get the right message across to your Spanish clients.
Can a Spanish mother travel alone with her child?
For example, a Spanish mum travelling alone with her child will not be questioned at the airport about whether she is the child’s mother or not, as it often happens to foreign mothers not sharing a surname with their children.
Why Do Mexicans Have Two Last Names?
However, when it comes to the last names, there is a traditional system for passing down a surname, or “apellido.”
What Does a Typical Mexican Name Look Like?
When looking at Mexican names, you will often see at least two given names (for example, Maria Angelica) and two surnames (for example, Rodriguez Lopez). All put together, a full Mexican name could look like this:
Why Is There a De,Del, or De La in the Name?
De, del, and de la are sometimes used in Mexican last names if the name comes from a certain place or recalls a common item. For example, if someone’s surname included the word Bosque, which translates as “Forest,” a name could look like this:
Why Did My Ancestors Change Their Name in the United States?
It was common for people to switch their surnames when immigrating to the United States because of the way surnames work in the United States culture. So, when researching family history, watch for immigration records and the surname switching, and search under both surnames.
Does a Woman Take Her Husband’s Last Name?
Traditionally, Mexican women don’t lose their maiden names when they marry. However, some women add their married name to the end of their other names, often separated by the word de. A married woman’s name might look like the following, with“Vasquez” being her husband’s first surname:
