What countries use two surnames?

In 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.

Do Germans use two last names?

A double last name combining the parents' last names is usually not possible according to German law. In cases where one parent has a citizenship other than German (e.g. U.S. citizenship), the parents have the possibility to choose foreign law to become applicable for the child's last name.

Can I legally have 2 last names?

A hyphenated last name would be Smith-Jones or Jones-Smith. It's your choice which name comes first. Hyphenating your last name is considered a legal name change – meaning you can't drop your spouse's name or the hyphen in the future without having to go through a court-ordered name change.

Why do Mexicans have 2 surnames?

The two surnames names are ancestral, with the father's family name followed by the mother's family name.

Can British have two surnames?

However it sometimes happens, especially in the case of persons born outside marriage, that the surnames of the parents, in any order, are used (hyphenated or not) to provide a double-barrelled surname. English law places no restrictions as to what surname may be registered for a child in the UK.

Most Common Surname From Different Countries

Can a girl keep two surnames?

A woman can choose if she wants to continue with the surname she has been living with throughout her life, replace her existing surname with that of her husband's or add her husband's surname to her existing one. It is completely her choice, and no law in India demands a woman to change her surname after marriage.

Can you have two last names in Canada?

Hyphenated surnames are very common amongst French-speaking Canadians. The Quebec civil code allows a couple to combine at most two of their surnames, with or without hyphens.

Why do French people have two last names?

Until 2005, French children were required to take the last name of their father. If the father was unknown, they could take their mother's last name. Fortunately, today all families have the choice and can also hyphenate their child's last name. In many cases, de/du/de la in a French last name is a sign of nobility.

Can you have two last names in Italy?

The use of double surnames is legal but not customary in the world. In Italy, children traditionally take their father's surname, except if the child is born outside of marriage ('born out of wedlock'), and in this case, children take the last surname of the parent that first recognises them.

Can a US citizen have two last names?

Answer: U.S. citizens are required to use their current legal names on their U.S. passports. Unless you can provide documentation that proves sole use of that one last name instead of two, you need to include both last names in your passport application.

How do double surnames work?

A hyphenated last name is when you and your spouse combine both of your last names with a hyphen. This is also called a double surname. In many states, when you fill out your application for your marriage license, you'll be writing your intended married name on that application.

What are the disadvantages of having two last names?

Can you have two surnames in Australia?

A maximum of 2 hyphenated names in any registered name, one a given, one as family name. A maximum of two names forms a hyphenated name.

Do Europeans have two last names?

Number of name parts

Having multiple parts to your name is common practice in places including Portugal and Spain, where most people have two first names and two surnames (their mother's and father's family names).

What is the coolest German last name?

What is the most German last name?

Although Müller is the most common name in German-speaking countries, in some areas other surnames are more frequent than Müller. The common names Schmidt and Schmitz lead in the central German-speaking and eastern Low German-speaking areas.

Can you have two surnames in France?

French naming law (surnames)

Since 2005, article 311-21 of the French Civil code permits parents to give their children the name of either their father, mother, or a hyphenation of both - although no more than two names can be hyphenated.

What is a common German name?

The most common given names are either Biblical ("Christian", derived from names of Biblical characters or saints; Johann/Hans "John", Georg/Jörg "George", Jakob "Jacob" and "James"; Anna, Maria, Barbara, Christina) or from Germanic names (Friedrich "Frederick", Ludwig "Louis", etc.)

Do Mexicans have 2 surnames?

Mexicans 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.

What are German naming conventions?

Germany uses similar naming conventions to Anglo-Australians. Most Germans have two personal names (one that is a first name and one as a middle name) and a family name (e.g. Maria Anna SCHAFER). Surnames are passed down to subsequent generations through the father's lineage.

Do people in Portugal have two last names?

For the sake of simplicity, most Portuguese people use only two surnames. For example, if José Santos Almeida and Maria Abreu Melo had a daughter, her name could simply be Joana Melo Almeida (personal name + mother's surname + father's surname).

Why do Latinos use both last names?

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.

Why do some people have 2 surnames?

In 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.

Can I have two surnames in passport?

Documents Required for Adding Spouse Name in Passport

As stated earlier, there is no pressure on any individual to keep their full name after marriage. However, they can also: Hyphenate the original name with the spouse's name. Add the spouse's last name as their surname.

Can I have two surnames after marriage?

Using Both Surnames

The husband's surname is simply suffixed to yours and it's a win-win for both. Many women also choose to use their maiden name in the work sphere as it has become their brand identity but on documents, they get their names modified. And so, they use both names with ease.