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Currently in Spain, people bear a single or composite given name (nombre in Spanish) and two surnames (apellidos in Spanish). A composite given name is composed of two (or more) single names; for example, Juan Pablo is considered not to be a first and a second forename, but a single composite forename.
Many Hispanophones in the countries of Spanish -speaking America have two given names, plus like in Spain, a paternal surname (primer apellido or apellido paterno) and a maternal surname (segundo apellido or apellido materno).
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The Spanish word for “last name” has nothing to do with being the “last” name. This word, “apellido” translates better to “family name” than to “last name.” This is because “apellido” does not imply that the family name must come at the end of the full name. Moreover, “apellido” is a singular word, and the existence of its plural “apellidos” implie...
Composite names: A composite name is a first or second name that consists of two names. So, even though they are two separate words, they are counted as one name. These names are fairly common, and we’ll provide a few examples below. Example composite names for girls: María José, Ana Lucía, María Elena, María Nicole, María Alejandra, Ana Paula, Ana...
If you see a Hispanic person only writing one family name on social media, that is probably their paternal last name. Children of Hispanic people living in countries that traditionally only have one last name tend to hyphenate their family names to avoid confusion. When a Hispanic person is referred to with a prefix, the name used after the prefix ...
Sep 12, 2017 · This guide to Spanish naming customs includes a comprehensive explanation of how Spanish names work, clear answers to names-related questions, and some personal thoughts about the Spanish naming system.
Mar 29, 2023 · This naming convention is known as “ apellido compuesto ” or “ doble apellido,” and it’s a legal requirement in Spain. The tradition of using two surnames in Spain dates back to the fifteen hundreds, when Isabella and Ferdinand (the Catholic Kings) were ruling.
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.
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Jul 21, 2020 · This is the reason why Spanish names are so long. The practice of a person with two surnames became the custom in Spain largely because of Arabic influence. If Teresa García Ramírez marries Elí Arroyo López, she doesn't change her name.
