American journalists often use the wrong last name when talking about people from Spain and Latin America who use two surnames.   We're here to set the record straight so you never address someone incorrectly.

In Spain, people use two last names: the first is the same as their father's, and the second is their mother's.  Women do not change their names when they marry and they continue using their family name.  If Pedro Rosales Puente marries Emilia Ortiz Olivar and they have a son named Antonio, his full name would be Antonio Rosales Ortiz.

This is confusing to English-speakers who are used to calling people by the last of their names. That would be incorrect in Spain (unless they are famous and want to be called by the less common name.  But that's a story for a different post.).  A story about Antonio Rosales Ortiz may use his entire name at first, but subsequent mentions should be to Mr.Rosales, not Mr.Ortiz.

http://www.pandltranslations.com