[manacit]

As someone with a Dutch "Van *" last name, I run into this issue all the time as well. Unlike the author, it doesn't upset me, I don't really care.

Sure, I was a little worried when the guy at the DMV warned me that the California system would always register my name wrong -- adding 'Van' as part of my last name along with my middle name. He told me to just mention it and everything would be fine.

Sure, it was pretty annoying the next time I went into the DMV and the guy blew me off, saying the system was fine. Sure enough, a few weeks later, my license arrived in the mail, incorrect. Unfortunately, they won't change it unless I bring them a passport or a birth certificate and pay to get it fixed, but it's not the end of the world. That change has persisted, and now my Washington State license still has my wrong name. Oh well.

Because my last name is much longer then the author's - 27 characters including spaces - it's been truncated since Kindergarden, and my University ID is still misprinted. Oh well.

I guess my point is that it's not the end of the world, there are bigger fish to fry.

[computerbob]

I also have a Dutch "Van" in my last name and have given up trying to use the " " (space) in my last name. It just isn't worth the hassle of trying to use it. But I totally agree with you in saying "It's not the end of the world".

[Casseres]

I recently changed my last name, now it has a space (Casseres Palmer). I just say something along the lines of, "My last name has a space, not a dash." I haven't really found it difficult to use. Out of all my licenses and IDs, only one of them has a dash in it. I don't know if it's because of the database limitation, or the person who entered it in assumed it has or needed a dash. My university, work, and other companies that I deal with have no problem accepting a last name with a dash.