evidence: Spaniards have two surnames and they are determined by filiation (parentage). If you have a father and a mother, one of your surnames will be your father’s first surname, and the other one will be your mother’s first surname. [...] That said, and speaking as a Spanish national living in the UK, I find our system more useful and practical than others, because it avoids all the hassle and paperwork involved in changing your name. The legal bond of a Spanish mother with her child is never questioned in the same way it is in other countries where a mother does not share a surname with their children. And Spanish women do not end up in a situation where they are divorced mothers still bearing their ex-husband’s surname just so that they share the surname with their child. [...] - Your name reflects both sides of your family (paternal and maternal).