Re: Offlist: Re: Anthroponymics -- Brazilians have more than one surname? How are they assigned?

On 10/26/05, Tom Chappell <tomhchappell@...> wrote:
> You're welcome, Joao.  I hope it was not /too/ voluminous.
>
> In a later post you said that a Brazilian will choose the least common of
> his (IIRC two) surnames.
>
> How do Brazilians get their surnames?  Why do they have two or more?
>
> -----
>
> I recall reading, but don't recall where, that in some Iberian and
> Ibero-American countries, a person is named
> (given name(s)) +
> (surname, mother's maiden surname, father's mother's maiden surname,
> mother's mother's maiden surname)
> although I may have the grandmother's maiden surnames out of order.
>
> Is that correct?
>
My dad does that, and he's from Nicaragua, and according to my late
Tia Elisa, the family is originally from Castille.

He uses dad's surname, mom's surname, dad's mom's surname, mom's mom's
surname. For him, Sotomayor Gadea Lacayo Lopez. For me, Sotomayor
Loebus Gadea Wojanowski. This is why I never use my mother's maiden
name as a security measure. It's way too public.

--
Sylvia Sotomayor
terjemar@gmail.com
www.terjemar.net