Final answer:
Hispanic last names usually comprise both paternal and maternal surnames from the parents, not just a combination of maternal surnames. The child's last name conventionally begins with the father's surname followed by the mother's surname. The mestizo population, a mix of Spanish and Native American heritage, also followed these naming traditions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement 'Hispanic last names are effectively a combination of the maternal surnames from the previous generation' is only partially true. Traditionally in many Hispanic cultures, children receive two last names: one from their father (paternal surname) and one from their mother (maternal surname). The paternal surname is listed first and is considered the primary surname.
For instance, if a father's surname is Garcia and the mother's is Lopez, the child's last name would typically be Garcia Lopez. This tradition helps preserve both family lineages through subsequent generations, and differs from the Anglo-Saxon tradition of typically adopting only the paternal surname.
About the mestizos, the early interaction between Spanish conquistadors and Native American populations led to the creation of mestizo children, like the son of Hernan Cortes and his translator Malinche, named Martin Cortes. This new demographic group increased throughout Latin and South America, mixing Spanish and Indigenous ancestries. As mestizos are a cultural and ethnic group, their surnames would follow the traditional Hispanic naming conventions as well.