About Two Surnames
An independent information site on tracing Cuban ancestors and their Spanish roots.
What this site is
Two Surnames is an independent information site about Cuban and Spanish genealogy research. It is not affiliated with any archive, church, registry office, university or genealogical society, and it does not speak for any family.
The name comes from the records themselves. In Spanish and Cuban documents almost every person carries two surnames, one from each parent, so every entry leads to two families at once.
What you will not find here
The site keeps no database of persons, publishes no family trees and does not carry out research on request. It does not sell documents or certificates and does not recommend paid services.
How the guides are written
The guides explain record types, archives and naming customs in plain English. They rely only on general facts that can be checked in public reference works and in the descriptions published by archives and libraries. Where a detail could not be confirmed, such as an opening time, a fee or an address, it is left out rather than guessed. Rules on access to records change, so always check with the archive or office concerned before you write or travel.