How Spanish and Latin American names work
Two family names, and the one you use is the first of them, not the last word.
Given name, then two family names
In Spain and most of Latin America a person has one or two given names and two family names (apellidos). Traditionally the first family name comes from the father and the second from the mother. In María José García López, García is the father's family name and López the mother's. Since 2017, parents in Spain can choose which of their names comes first, so the first family name is no longer always the father's.
Address people by the first family name
Formally, the title goes with the first family name: Dear Ms. García, or Dear Ms. García López. Writing Ms. López is the most common mistake, because English speakers expect the last word to be the family name. If you cannot tell which title fits, the full name is polite: Dear María José García López.
In Spanish, the respectful Don and Doña go with the given name (Don Carlos, Doña María), not with the family name.
Compound given names
Many given names have two parts used together: María José, Juan Carlos, José Luis, Ana María. Use both on first-name terms (Hi María José), unless the person signs with one. The second part does not decide gender: María José is a woman, José María is a man.
Names abroad
Outside Spanish-speaking countries, the two family names are often shortened or joined. You may see María García (second name dropped), María García-López (hyphenated) or María J. García López. Forms built for one last name sometimes push García into the middle-name box, which makes López look like the family name. If in doubt, ask, or use the name the person signs with.
Married names
Women keep their own family names when they marry. A traditional form adds de and the husband's first family name (María López de García); it is now rare in everyday use, and absent in work email.
Portuguese and Brazilian names are the other way round
In Portugal and Brazil the mother's family name usually comes first and the father's last, and people are addressed by the last one: João Pereira da Silva is Mr. Silva.
The most common family names in Spain
Among people from Spain recorded in Wikidata:
| Family name | People in Wikidata | Share of the top 15 |
|---|---|---|
| García | 2,334 | 14.0% |
| Martínez | 1,942 | 11.6% |
| Fernández | 1,739 | 10.4% |
| González | 1,588 | 9.5% |
| López | 1,485 | 8.9% |
| Rodríguez | 1,396 | 8.3% |
| Pérez | 1,094 | 6.5% |
| Sánchez | 1,027 | 6.1% |
| Gómez | 767 | 4.6% |
| Álvarez | 597 | 3.6% |
| Martín | 591 | 3.5% |
| Ruiz | 589 | 3.5% |
| Gil | 542 | 3.2% |
| Alonso | 520 | 3.1% |
| Díaz | 520 | 3.1% |
Wikidata covers notable people (athletes, politicians, scientists, artists), so these counts show the ranking, not exact population shares.
Quick answers
María José García López: which part do I use?
Dear Ms. García, or Hi María José on first-name terms.
Is López a first name or a last name?
A family name. When it is the second of two family names, it is usually the mother's and is not used alone.