Naming customs in Spanish-speaking countries differ from the U.S. custom of first name, middle name(s) and a single surname. In Spanish-speaking countries, a man ordinarily uses his given name(s) with his father's surname, followed by his mother's
maiden surname.
Example:
JUAN MANUEL SANTIAGO PEREZ (SANTIAGO is his father's surname; PEREZ is his mother's maiden surname.)
An unmarried woman may use her given name(s) with only her father's surname.
Example:
LUZ MANUEL VASQUEZ (VASQUEZ is her father's surname.)
or
She may use her given name(s) with her father's surname, followed by her mother's maiden surname.
Example:
LUZ MANUEL VASQUEZ GARCIA (GARCIA is her mother's maiden surname.)
A married woman in Spanish-speaking countries may use her maiden surname (her father's surname), her maiden surname followed by her husband's surname (his father's surname), or her maiden surname followed by "de" and her husband's surname.
Examples:
MARIA VICTORIA RODRIGUEZ (RODRIGUEZ is her father's surname; SANTIAGO is her husband's surname.)
MARIA VICTORIA RODRIGUEZ SANTIAGO
MARIA VICTORIA RODRIGUEZ DE SANTIAGO
Note that all 3 of the above names could be used by the same woman.
Some persons may have compound middle names, such as DE JESUS, DE MARIO, DE LOS ANGELES, DE LA CRUZ, etc.
NOTE: A family of Spanish-speaking clients may be in some stage of transition between Spanish and U.S. custom with respect to the way they show their names.
