Understanding Documents from Mexico—Part 1 Naming Conventions, Birth Certificates, and Immunization Records Sonja Williams Migrant Education Program NCDPI

Understanding Hispanic Naming Conventions  Words to know Nombres=First namesExample: Juan Carlos Martínez Gómez Segundo nombres=Middle namesExample: Juan Carlos Martínez Gómez Apellidos=Last Names or surnamesExample: Juan Carlos Martínez Gómez

Some Important Considerations…  Common first names are sometimes abbreviated. María is sometimes abbreviated as “Ma.” José is sometimes abbreviated as “J.” Some names are composite names, such as Mariajose, which is a girl’s name. These names usually occur when children are named for saints.  Many children don’t have middle names; the first surname should NOT be turned into a middle name.

How Do Surnames Work?  Most Hispanic students will have two surnames. The first surname is the surname of the child’s father. The second surname is the surname of the child’s mother. In some cases, there may only be one surname. Juan Francisco Gómez MartínezSara López Juan Carlos Gómez López

More Naming Considerations…  In general, on birth certificates from Latin America, the surnames will NOT be hyphenated. They may be hyphenated if the child was born in the US. Don’t change the hyphenation that occurs on the birth certificate.  In many indigenous communities, each of the child’s names (first, middle, and surnames) can sound like a first name; e.g., José Sebastián Juan Domingo. This can be very confusing, so it is important to get the names straight when talking to the parents/guardians.  If you see the words “finada” or “finado” for parents, it means that the parent is deceased.

Common Errors  In the example above, entering the child’s name as Juan Carlos López would be incorrect.  Entering the child’s full name as Juan Gómez would be incomplete.  Entering the child’s full name as Juan Gómez-López would also be incorrect.  Gómez should never be listed as the middle name. Juan Carlos Gómez López Juan Francisco Gómez Martínez Sara López

Quiz!  María Luisa Tomás Sánchez and Juan Francisco García Monrroy have a child whose name on her birth certificate is listed as Ma. Guadalupe.  What is the child’s first name?  Maria  What would be the child’s full name?  Maria Guadalupe García Tomás

Understanding Mexican Birth Certificates  Over the past few years, there has been an effort to standardize birth certificates throughout Mexico, so most of them now look similar. For older students, you may still see older versions, but the example that follows is now similar throughout Mexico.

REGISTRO CIVIL ACTA DE NACIMIENTO DATOS DEL REGISTRADO CRIP NOMBRE FECHA DE NACIMIENTO LUGAR DE NACIMIENTO REGISTRADO COMPARECIO DATOS DE LOS PADRES PERSONA DISTINTA PARENTESCO

Months in Spanish eneroJanuarymayoMayseptiembreSeptember febreroFebruaryjunioJuneoctubreOctober marzoMarchjulioJulynoviembreNovember abrilAprilagostoAugustdiciembreDecember

Stay tuned for Part 2—Understanding Middle and High School Transcripts from Mexico  Questions about Part 1???  See you next time, and…… Gracias!