surname

Meaning

Noun

1. The portion of a person's name that is generally hereditary or treated as an indicator of a person's family, which may be shared with other members of the family, or otherwise derived from their names in some fashion; distinguished from that person's given name(s).
2. (obsolete) Synonym of epithet, an additional name, particularly those derived from a birthplace, quality, or achievement.
3. (obsolete) Synonym of nickname, an additional name given to a person, place, or thing, a byname.
4. The cognomen of Roman names.
5. (obsolete) A clan.

Verb

1. To give a surname to.
2. To call by a surname.

Synonyms

family name

last name

name

cognomen

nickname

clan name

clan

family

👪

musical instrument

title

vigorous

appellation

patronym

epithet

patronymic

place name

proper name

proper noun

rely on

sex

👉👌

surnames

term

accuse falsely

agnomen

give a surname

appellative

castle

🏰

Christian name

denominate

denomination

designate

designation

dub

first name

forename

gender

given name

lean

nation

Translations

nom de famille

apellido

Familienname

Nachname

achternaam

nom

familienaam

Zuname

patronyme

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈsɝˌneɪm/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: surname

Cognate with Middle English: surnoun

In summary

From Middle English surname, a partial calque of Old French surnum, surnoun (“surname; nickname”) (whence Middle English surnoun), from Late Latin supernōmen, suprānōmen (“surname”), from super- (“over, above, beyond”) and nōmen (“name”), equivalent to sur- + name.