The Curious Case of iberian surnames custom

[Juan Lacas]

A mí un dato curioso que siempre llamó mi atención de los apellidos portugueses es que parece haber muchos de tipo religioso: De Jesús, Dos Santos, Do Nascimento, Do Carmo, Do Rosário...

[Damião de Góis]

It's pretty straight forward, people are known by both 1st given name and 1st surname:

Bruno Miguel Borges Fernandes

It is also common to list names starting with the surname so you read the first surname:

Borges Fernandes, Bruno...

Oh, i didn't realize you were trolling. Ignore my post then.

[Diego Garcia]

It's pretty straight forward, people are known by the first and last names:

Bruno Miguel Borges Fernandes

Well, I notice that at the end both of us use commonly the father's surname, as seen.

[Diego Garcia]

Oh, i didn't realize you were trolling. Ignore my post then.

I think he's not trolling at all. Or at least I don't get it if trolling.

[Ranger0075]

I kinda think there's some prejudice against people with only two names, we can associate it to kids with no father.

[Sebastianus Rex]

Ah, okay, okay. I got it now.

Family names or last names are both of them: the first last name would be the father's surname; the second last surname would be the mother's surname, in order to shorten.

Yes, usually we're identified or called or referencied by our name (Pepe, Paco, Federico, Sergio, etc.) and our first surname (our father's name), following our system of surnames. But normally and officially through both last surnames (aside from our name), especially before the Administration.

But not always, some people are recognised or referencied by their second surname, i.e., their mother's surname. E.g.: Antonio González Banderas ==> Antonio Banderas; José Luís Rodríguez Zapatero ==> José Luis Zapatero, due to different reasons.

But the most usual way it's one of their names (Francisco, José, Federico) and their first surname, their father's name. Administratively
--public or private--, both of them.

In Spain and in most countries in Hispano America, I think.

They play along how it sounds better...it wouldn't be too convenient for a Barcelona player to be known as Gerard Bernabéu...Antonio Gonzalez is kind of meh for a Hollywood career, it's good at least we can choose, unlike others who have to invent fake artistic names when their only surname is not suitable.

[Sebastianus Rex]

A mí un dato curioso que siempre llamó mi atención de los apellidos portugueses es que parece haber muchos de tipo religioso: De Jesús, Dos Santos, Do Nascimento, Do Carmo, Do Rosário...

Yeap that's really old catholic defender of the Faith stuff, I have Santos and Do Carmo on my looong name, none of that new christian crap such as name of trees or of animals.

[Gredos]

I don't find it "curious" at all, rather logical.

One is son of their father and mother's. So, it's logical --and not curious-- one to bring both surnames.

I find the portuguese way even more logic --first the mother's surname, and secondly the father's--, since one usually knows who their mother is, but not always their father.

The women generally haven't been that underestimated in Iberia than in the ultrapyrenean countries, and especially intense after the lutheran schism. The women conserved their rights under the Catholicism.

curious from a world point of view, from our point of view any other formula is very strange.

Portuguese use the mother's name first officially, but it is not the one used. Nor is it inherited. It is similar to the American system of using a middle name taken from the mother. E.g. John Fitzgerald Kenndy