Last Name confusion in PR....

16POSTS

11 years ago

If you are a married "gringa" like me聽 that uses your married (husband's) last name, how do you deal with the name confusion in PR when filling out forms?聽聽 "Apellido Paterno / Apellido Materno"聽 ....I haven't used either of those names for 18 years since getting married and taking on my husband's name.聽 All of my legal documents (SS card, passport, DL, etc)聽聽show my married name.聽 It's always causing confusion when I have to fill out forms for myself or my children.聽聽聽I've started putting my married name where it says Apellido Paterno and my maiden name where it says Apellido Materno so that my married name appears in the right place the same as on my legal documents, but it doesn't seem like I should be doing that.聽 And if my kids say they only use 1 apellido (last name) their middle name get's put as a last name.聽 Someone suggested I go to a lawyer and get a "declaracion jurado" notarized letter declaring those variations of the name are all me and I did that, but some agencies still have it incorrect.聽聽Ay Bendito! Que confusion!聽 Any suggestions?

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sharonlynn913 Member

20POSTS

11 years ago

I understand fully. Had xrays n gave them my mothers name.....yikes, haven't used my maiden name in over 45 yrs. Now I just give them my husbands last name period. All legal documents have married last name so thats how it will remain. Although husband uses father n mothers last name as its done here......he was born here....I use my married last name even though I get some weird looks. Life is good.

sharonlynn913 Member

20POSTS

11 years ago

No children so it's easier. ...

mac00677 Serial expat

380POSTS

11 years ago

You can
a: bow to the custom and write your family name in the second
b: Do what I do and insist that it is not your cultural custom to use your mom's聽 maiden name. I rold one such office, "My mother's name was the same as my father's for 50+ years, and ypu want to change that!?"

addicted.to.tights Member

16POSTS

11 years ago

I had the opposite problem. I changed my 2 last names for 1 and i just didn't bother giving people explanations. "I only have one". "This is my last name. Not through marriage (none of your business), I only have one. " They will ask if you don't have a mom or if you're american. I just tell them, I ONLY HAVE ONE. They let it go quick fast and in a hurry.

Gary ViP

1845POSTS

11 years ago

I'm pretty sure that in my case "they" are the confused ones. I have one those Dutch last names with vander in it ( like Vanderbilt) but I write it the Dutch way: van der Bilt.
Nobody ever asks my mom's last name. (which would confuse them even more because that one has two words)

1 member reacted to this post

addicted.to.tights Member

16POSTS

11 years ago

Gary wrote:
I'm pretty sure that in my case "they" are the confused ones. I have one those Dutch last names with vander in it ( like Vanderbilt) but I write it the Dutch way: van der Bilt.
Nobody ever asks my mom's last name. (which would confuse them even more because that one has two words)

Oh gosh that's great lol I can imagine this happening though

Gary van der Bilt
van der Bilt, Gary
del bilt, gary van....
maybe even
Gary Bilt.

lol my uncle has one of those van der names. Mine was Kaiser Rodriguez and then changed to Fronapfel no more fussy

Gary ViP

1845POSTS

11 years ago

addicted.to.tights wrote:
Oh gosh that's great lol I can imagine this happening though
van der Bilt, Gary

Something like that happened with my driver's license: Van Der Bilt, Gary J
It took me quite a while to get that one fixed.

Because of that I still have no credit. As every foreigner when you move to another country you have no credit, even if you had a perfect credit in the previous country.
I bought a car on monthly payments and the loan was on the mixed up name. Now I fixed the license and that name has a credit history, but my real name has no credit history.
Oh well, I don't need credit anyway, I am old fashioned and buy only when I can pay something and if I would ever need a car loan I'm sure I'll get it from the same bank that gave it to me on the mixed up name.

Schuttzie Serial expat

824POSTS

11 years ago

Oh, my goodness, sounds very confusing, lol!

Gary ViP

1845POSTS

11 years ago

#10

Schuttzie wrote:
Oh, my goodness, sounds very confusing, lol!

Not for me!

Schuttzie Serial expat

824POSTS

11 years ago

#11

I think I'll just keep my two simple names, haha

NomadLawyer Serial expat

693POSTS

11 years ago

#12

On my PR Bar license, it reads [Paternal name] [Maternal name], as is customary. Same with my marriage license as my wife and I were married in PR.聽 I'm also a member of the Bar of a US State, which naturally only lists [Paternal name].聽 It's the name on the Bar license that comes up the most outside of PR but after an explanation, I haven't had any further hassles (fingers crossed that continues).

NomadLawyer Serial expat

693POSTS

11 years ago

#13

Traditionally, the Spanish surname extends even longer when the woman is married. Before marriage, her surname is [Paternal name] [Maternal name]. After marriage, the surname is [Paternal name] [Maternal name] de [Husband's paternal name]. "[D]e" as in "of", as in, "belongs to".

E.g., Alejandra Isabela Gonzalez Torres de Jimenez (with tildes).

I tease my wife about that every once in awhile.

1 member reacted to this post

mac00677 Serial expat

380POSTS

11 years ago

#14

I was also married here, but I have never bowed to the paternal/maternal naming convention thing... I always protest, and they always reply, "that is our custom" and I reply; "I am not Puerto Rican, and it's not the custom of my people, nor is it my legal name... My mother did not used her maiden name, in 50+ years, so if you want me to put something, I'll put my family name twice!". I have never, and will never use a name that is not mine. I don't care to blindly follow rules without exception; never have, never will.

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Schuttzie Serial expat

824POSTS

11 years ago

#15

Mac, good for you that you stand up for what you believe in~

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AmbieGonzalez787 Member

1POSTS

8 years ago

#16

I AGREE!

mrtibbs Active member

65POSTS

8 years ago

#17

Not for my wife either! She has both last names, as well. Speaking as a gringo I think it is a smart idea. However, I definitely see the confusion and inconvenience it could cause for someone living in a different culture.