What is it called when you have two last names together?

Combining two last names is called a hyphenated surname (or a double-barreled surname) if a hyphen connects them, and a portmanteau (or name blending) if parts of both names are merged into a completely new word.

Common Types of Combined Names

• Hyphenated name: Joining two separate surnames with a hyphen (for example, Smith-Jones).
• Double surname (unhyphenated): Using two legal last names side-by-side with a space instead of a hyphen (for example, Smith Jones).
• Blended name / Portmanteau: Melting parts of two names together to create a brand-new single word (for example, combining Smith and Johnson into "Smithson").

When someone has two last names, you should use both last names or look for a hyphen to know which one is the primary surname.

How to Use Two Last Names

• Hyphenated names: If the two names use a hyphen (like Smith-Jones), use both parts together at all times in professional and legal settings.
• Unhyphenated names with a space: If there is no hyphen (like Gabriel Garcia Marquez), check cultural context. In many Spanish-speaking traditions, the first last name is the father's family name and the second is the mother's family name; the first one is the main surname used for short.
• English or American traditions: Without a hyphen, the final name is treated as the true last name, while the first of the two unhyphenated surnames may act like a middle name.
• Social situations: People with two unhyphenated last names often drop the first surname in casual or social settings to keep things short.
• Alphabetizing: According to style guides like the Chicago Manual of Style, alphabetize by the final name if there is no hyphen.

Yes, you can combine last names into an entirely new surname, a hyphenated name, or use them together without a hyphen.

Ways to Combine Last Names

• Name blending: Merge parts of two surnames to make a brand-new single word (like blending Taylor and Johnson into Tayson).
• Hyphenation: Join both names with a hyphen (like Smith-Doe).
• Double surname: Use both names with a space instead of a hyphen (like Smith Doe).
• Middle name shift: Move your original last name to your middle name slot and take your partner's last name.

Legal and Practical Steps

• Legal rules: Check your local laws because every region handles name changes differently.
• Marriage certificate: Some states let you write a newly blended name directly on your marriage license.
• Court petition: Many places require a formal court-ordered name change if you create a completely new blended word that isn't just a hyphenation of your existing names.
• Social use: You can always use a combined name socially on holiday cards or emails without doing the official paperwork.

Having two last names usually means a person is honoring both parents, preserving family lineages, or making a choice after marriage.

Cultural Traditions

• Spanish and Latin American cultures: People standardly use two surnames. The first last name is typically the father's first surname, and the second is the mother's first surname.
• Portuguese cultures: The order is often reversed, placing the mother's surname first and the father's surname second.

Marriage and Family

• Hyphenated names: Partners or children combine both family names with a dash (like Smith-Jones) to share both heritages or keep a birth name after marriage.
• Un-hyphenated double names: Some parents give children two last names with a space instead of a hyphen to pass down both family names equally.

Estate and Lineage Preservation

• Double-barreled surnames: Historically common in British aristocracy, families without a male heir used both names to protect an inheritance, estate, or family title from dying out.

Yes, a person can legally have two last names, either with or without a hyphen.

Legal Status and Formats

• With a hyphen: A hyphenated surname (like Smith-Jones) is legally treated as a single combined last name.
• Without a hyphen: A double last name with a space (like Smith Jones) is also fully legal on birth certificates, Social Security cards, and official identification.
• Cultural traditions: Two unhyphenated last names are standard in many cultures, such as the Spanish tradition where individuals use both their father's and mother's family surnames.

Official Use vs. Social Use

• Official documents: On legal forms, taxes, driver's licenses, and passports, you must use your full legal last name as registered.
• Social use: Informally or socially, people with unhyphenated double last names frequently choose to use just one of their surnames, though this can occasionally cause administrative mismatches with rigid computer systems.
• Name changes: If you want to add a second surname later in life (such as after marriage or through personal preference), you generally need to complete a legal name change process rather than just dropping and adding names at will.