1
as in family name
a name shared by members of a family
judging from your surname, I'd guess that your family is Italian
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in nickname
a descriptive or familiar name given instead of or in addition to the one belonging to an individual
"da Vinci" was Leonardo's surname but not his family name, Vinci being the town near Florence where the great artist was born
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of surname
Anna Zucca,
Vanity Fair,
24 June 2026
Their investigation eventually led them to a man identified by his surname, Guo, who reportedly lived alone.
—
Moná Thomas,
PEOPLE,
23 June 2026
Eunice Yoon,evelyn Cheng,
CNBC,
20 Sep. 2024
An employee surnamed Lin who answered the phone at Gold Apollo but declined to provide her full name or title said the company did not directly fill the pager order from Hezbollah, and that BAC handles the vast majority of device sales from Middle Eastern customers.
—
Stephanie Yang,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for surname
Noun
And while all the children have now cut ties with Brad Pitt, Pax, now 23, remains the only one still in contact with his paternal relatives and who has kept his double surname.
—
Anna Zucca,
Vanity Fair,
24 June 2026
Their investigation eventually led them to a man identified by his surname, Guo, who reportedly lived alone.
—
Moná Thomas,
PEOPLE,
23 June 2026
Verb
The individual, surnamed Yang, declined to share his first name due to concerns about speaking with foreign media.
—
Eunice Yoon,evelyn Cheng,
CNBC,
20 Sep. 2024
An employee surnamed Lin who answered the phone at Gold Apollo but declined to provide her full name or title said the company did not directly fill the pager order from Hezbollah, and that BAC handles the vast majority of device sales from Middle Eastern customers.
—
Stephanie Yang,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for surname
Recent Examples of Synonyms for surname
Noun
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After his kick found the net, Bajraktarević tore off his jersey and held up the back of it, with his family name across the top, to the fans and cameras.
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Here, Malvasia is not a single grape but a Madeira family name associated with varieties such as Malvasia Cândida, Malvasia Cândida Roxa, and Malvasia de São Jorge.
Noun
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Few figures are as synonymous with Mexican football as Aguirre, now in his third stint coaching the national team after being in charge for the 2002 and 2010 World Cups, but this co-exists with his El Vasco nickname.
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The law, passed in 2024, prohibits K-12 public schools from using any derogatory Native American term for athletic team mascots, names or nicknames.
Verb
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In support of the album, Swift planned to embark on a worldwide festival titled Lover Fest in 2020, however, it was officially canceled in February 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Despite being titled Housewives, the series was not originally produced by Bravo.
Noun
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Dozens of white binders are organized by last name, Alarcón to Zuñiga.
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All students are organized by their graduating class, followed by town name and then last name.
Noun
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The epithet is not a concession (the database of Trumpian apologies has yet to receive any inputs).
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Tape recordings played during the case also showed Fuhrman had used a racial epithet despite his testimony claiming to never have done so.
Verb
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During Thursday evening’s Board of Commissioners meeting, officials unanimously, and with no additional discussion, approved Johnston’s exit agreement and named Assistant County Administrator Alan Howze as his replacement for the rest of the year.
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Knoebels was named America’s best amusement and water park for 2026 in Tripadvisor’s Travelers’ Choice Awards, which is based on reviews.
Verb
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This relaxed pick is incredibly soft, really cute, and surprisingly easy to style.
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Eighteenth-century desserts were intricately decorated and styled to leave an impression.
Verb
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The latter are often associated with what might be termed the silovaya ideologiya—a security-state ideology that emphasises a strong state, the primacy of state interests over private interests, great-power status, and strict domestic order.
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Carollo was termed out of office at the end of last year.
Cite this Entry
“Surname.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/surname. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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