It is often used in the context of:
* Women who have changed their surnames after marriage: In many cultures, women adopt their husband's surname upon marriage. In these cases, "el apellido de nacimiento" refers to the surname they had before getting married.
* Genealogy or family history: When tracing family lineages, it is important to know the birth surname to identify ancestors and their connections.
* Legal documents: Many legal forms require individuals to provide their birth surname, especially for identification purposes.
For example:
* *"¿Cuál es el apellido de nacimiento de tu madre?"* (What is your mother's maiden name?)
* *"Mi apellido de nacimiento es García."* (My birth surname is García.)
It's important to note that the term "maiden name" is specifically used for women, while "birth surname" is a more gender-neutral term.