First versus Middle name appearance on civil records

[rp76226]

Sometimes civil records list the surname last; sometime the surname is listed first. I believe it makes a difference in the order that the first and middle names appear.

For example, if the surname is last and the name appears as Maria Concetta Puma, then Concetta is the middle name.

However, if the surname is first, then I think the middle name appears before the first name. Using the name in the above example, I think the name would appear as Puma, Concetta Maria with Concetta being the middle name, not the first name.

Is my interpretation correct?

[Tessa78]

Using the above name with Concetta as the middle name it would be written...
Maria Concetta Puma
And
Puma, Maria Concetta

T.