NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) ̶ In many Spanish-speaking countries, a surname holds significant meaning, often reflecting the identities of both the father and the mother. This tradition involves incorporating two surnames, a practice that helps clarify familial relationships across Spain and Latin America. However, in the United States, having dual surnames can lead to bureaucratic complications and misunderstandings.

According to the latest census estimates, more than 68 million individuals in the U.S. identify as ethnically Hispanic, with many adopting this dual surname convention. A notable example is Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny, born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, named after his father, Tito Martínez, and his mother, Lysaurie Ocasio.

The structure of Hispanic surnames is predominantly based on a two-name system, where traditionally, the father's surname appears first followed by the mother's. For instance, if a girl named Victoria has a father, Daniel Flores Garcia, and a mother, Ana Salinas Marquez, her full surname would be Flores Salinas.

In many cultures within the Hispanic community, women typically retain their maiden names after marriage, although practices vary by country. Some women may choose to add their husband's surname, sometimes incorporating "de," which translates to "of," into their name. For instance, if Victoria Flores Salinas marries Carlos Sandoval Cruz, she might continue to be called Victoria Flores Salinas or may adopt the format Victoria Flores de Sandoval, depending on her cultural or legal context. Their child, if named Francisco, would be called Francisco Sandoval Flores, continuing the tradition of using both surnames.

In contrast, adapting to naming conventions in the United States can be challenging for those with Hispanic surnames. It is common for individuals to drop the maternal surname when adapting their name in America, leading to situations where a person like Francisco Sandoval Flores might simply go by Francisco Sandoval. This practice can result in confusion, as those unfamiliar with Hispanic naming conventions may misinterpret the father's surname as a middle name.

To avoid confusion, some individuals opt to retain both surnames or hyphenate them. Others might even merge the names into one word. Susana Pimiento, who moved from Colombia to the U.S. over two decades ago, has navigated these complexities throughout her experience. Her full name, Susana Pimiento Chamorro, is used for official matters, but it has often created difficulties in ensuring consistency across documents.

Pimiento runs a translation and interpreter services agency in Austin, Texas. When she first applied for a driver’s license in Texas, the only way she could maintain both surnames was by hyphenating them. She recalled, “I could have dropped my mother’s last name, but then it wouldn’t have matched with my passport.”

Challenges can also arise with airline reservations, as many only permit one surname on tickets; hence, she has sometimes had to unify her surnames into a single word. Her experience gained further complexity when she applied for a green card, which was issued with her husband's surname in a traditional Latin American format as “Susana de Hammond.” This misrepresentation prompted her to return the card, reflecting a discrepancy with her other documentation.

It took a year for the government to issue a corrected green card with her actual name, during which time Pimiento required special permission to leave the country for work. Laughing about the situation, she said, “Before I got married, I told my husband, ‘I’m not taking your name.’ But when my green card came as Susana de Hammond, we thought it was a joke. But it was incredibly difficult to sort out!”

Thus, the complexities of maintaining Hispanic surnames in the U.S. reflect broader issues related to cultural identity and legal recognition in a distinctly different social framework.