Hispanic names are boosted by the fact that the same ones keep bobbing to the surface. About 20 percent of Hispanics share just a dozen surnames, a far higher percentage than for most ethnic groups. The names have changed little since the 1970s, the census notes. In contrast, Smith and Jones, the most common surnames in the country, are found among only 1 percent of the total population. Negron, whose name ranks No. 216, owns a real estate company.
Spanish surnames have a few other things in common.
A name with double R or double L is likely to be Hispanic. For instance, Rivera and Colon are more Puerto Rican, while Gutierrez is more uniquely Mexican, Word said. Hispanics pay close attention to, and take great pride in, their last names, seen as symbols of continuity and breeding. Hispanics from the same country often try to pinpoint the region others come from based on last names. It's amazing how people can trace who you are according to your name. . . .