A storybook illustration showing a smiling adult and a child standing together and holding hands, symbolizing a shared family name and lineage.

apellido

a-peh-YEE-doh

nounmA1

last name?The family name.,surname?Formal term for family name.

📝 In Action

Mi apellido es Fernández.

My last name is Fernández.

En España, la gente tiene dos apellidos: el del padre y el de la madre.

In Spain, people have two last names: the father's and the mother's.

Por favor, escribe tu nombre y tu apellido en el formulario.

Please write your first name and your last name on the form.

Word Connections

Synonyms

nombre de familia (family name)

Antonyms

nombre (first name)

Common Collocations

primer apellido – paternal last name (first last name)
segundo apellido – maternal last name (second last name)
cambiar el apellido – to change the last name

💡 Grammar Points

Gender Rule

Even though it refers to a family name, 'apellido' is always a masculine word, so you use 'el' (el apellido) or 'un' (un apellido) with it.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Using 'Nombre' for Last Name

Mistake: "Using 'nombre' to ask for a last name (e.g., ¿Cuál es tu nombre?)"

Correction: Use 'apellido' specifically for the family name. 'Nombre' usually means the first name only.

⭐ Usage Tips

Cultural Tip: Two Names

In most Spanish-speaking countries, people traditionally use TWO family names: the father's first last name, followed by the mother's first last name. The father’s name is the one usually passed down.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: apellido

Question 1 of 1

If someone in Mexico introduces themselves as 'María López García,' which word refers to 'García'?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

apellidar(to name/call by name) - verb

apellidarse(to be named) - verb

Frequently Asked Questions

¿Cómo se dice 'maiden name' en español?

The closest phrase is 'apellido de soltera' (last name of the single woman). However, since Spanish-speaking women typically keep their birth surnames after marriage, this concept is less common than in English-speaking cultures.

Why is 'apellido' masculine?

'Apellido' is masculine because it ends in '-o' and comes from a masculine root noun. In Spanish, whether a word is masculine or feminine is often based on its ending, not the thing it describes.