At a glance
- Spanish names typically include given name(s) plus two surnames.
- The first surname usually comes from the father. The second surname usually comes from the mother.
- Today, parents can choose the order of the child’s surnames.
- People keep their surnames after marriage.
- On legal documents both surnames appear. In casual use the second one is often dropped.
New to using names in conversation? Review essential greetings in basic greetings and phrases.
Key vocabulary
- nombregiven name
- apellidosurname
- primer apellidofirst surname
- segundo apellidosecond surname
- DNINational ID / NIEForeigner ID
- Registro CivilCivil Registry
The basic structure
Most Spaniards have one or two given names, followed by two surnames.
- Given names: one or more. Example: José Luis, Ana María.
- Surnames: first from one parent, second from the other. The traditional order is father then mother.
Examples
- Ana María García López
- García is the first surname
- López is the second surname
- Pablo Ruiz Picasso
- Ruiz from the father
- Picasso from the mother
Modern rule on order
Parents can choose the order of the two surnames at birth. If they do not agree, the registrar decides. Many offices use alphabetical order to break ties.
To talk about whose surname is whose, review possessive adjectives: mi, tu, su.
How children get their surnames
Imagine these parents:
- Carlos Ruiz Martín
- Ana Gómez Pérez
Their child could be:
- Traditional order: Ruiz Gómez
- Chosen order: Gómez Ruiz
Another example with prepositions inside surnames:
- María de la Torre Núñez
- Jorge del Río Sáez
- Child: de la Torre del Río or del Río de la Torre depending on the order the parents choose.
Brush up on the words for relatives in family members to talk about parents and children confidently.
Carlos Ruiz Martín and Ana Gómez Pérez register their baby. Which full name follows the traditional order?
Marriage and surnames
Marrying does not change your surnames in Spain. Each person keeps the same two surnames before and after marriage.
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- The old social formula with de the husband’s surname is not used in modern legal practice.
- Your legal name stays the same on your DNI, passport, and official records.
Talking about weddings and milestones? Explore vocabulary in Life events and milestones.
Everyday use vs. legal use
- Legal documents show both surnames.
- In daily life people often shorten to the first surname.
- Federico García Lorca often appears as García Lorca because García is very common and the second surname adds identity.
- Pablo Ruiz Picasso is widely known as Picasso in the art world.
Travel and tickets
Always match your ID exactly. Flight tickets, visas, and banking profiles should include both surnames where required. If a system only allows one last name, follow your airline or consulate guidance and ensure your booking matches your passport as closely as possible.
Interested in writers and texts mentioned here? Build topic vocabulary with Literature and reading.
Particles and hyphenation
- Prepositions and conjunctions such as deof, delof the, de laof the, and yand can be part of a surname.
- Example: María de la Torre, Santiago Ramón y Cajal.
- Capitalization: the prepositions are lower case unless the surname starts a sentence or is in all caps on forms.
- Hyphenation: some people abroad write García-López to avoid losing the second surname in databases. Legally the name has no hyphen unless it is registered that way.
If particles like de and del are tricky, review articles in Noun gender and articles: el, la, un, una.
How to fill forms
- If the form has two last name fields
- Put your first surname in the first field and your second surname in the second field.
- If the form has only one last name field
- Use your first surname. If a second surname is required but there is no field, ask the institution how they want it recorded.
- For usernames and emails
- Many people use their first surname plus initial of the second. Example: garcia.l for García López.
Quick do and don’t
- Do use both surnames on legal matters.
- Do keep the exact spacing and particles of your surname.
- Do verify that tickets and IDs match.
- Do not assume marriage changes surnames.
- Do not drop the second surname on official forms unless instructed.
Planning trips where forms matter? See travel phrases in Booking travel and accommodation.
Handling bank profiles and IDs? Practice terms in Money and banking.
Quick practice
Build a full Spanish name in the standard order. Drag the words into place.
Arrange the words to form a correct sentence:
Try spotting the correct format for a casual profile vs. a legal form.
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Want more practice in context? Read our Spanish stories or start with A1 stories.
Final takeaways
- Spanish names usually have two surnames.
- The first surname is the key one for indexing and day to day use.
- Parents can choose the order for their children’s surnames.
- Marriage does not change surnames.
- Keep both surnames on legal records and travel documents.
If you keep these points in mind, Spanish names will be simple to read, use, and fill out on any form.