surname

noun

sur·name | \ ˈsər-ˌnām

Definition of surname

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : an added name derived from occupation or other circumstance : nickname sense 1

2 : the name borne in common by members of a family

surname

verb

surnamed; surnaming; surnames

Definition of surname (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

: to give a surname to

Synonyms Example Sentences Learn More about surname

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Examples of surname in a Sentence

Noun

judging from your surname, I'd guess that your family is Italian “da Vinci” was Leonardo's surname but not his family name, Vinci being the town near Florence where the great artist was born

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

An official at the city government propaganda department, who gave only his surname, Gao, said the accident’s cause was still under investigation and no other information could be provided. — Christopher Bodeen, The Seattle Times, "22 dead in blast outside northern China chemical plant," 28 Nov. 2018 Still, there are some things fans may not know about the star—for example, the origin of his interesting surname. — Taysha Murtaugh, Country Living, "Tarek El Moussa of 'Flip or Flop' Has the Most Interesting Family History," 20 Sep. 2018 The officer, who only gave his surname, Guo, said on Wednesday that some of the agencies had purchased new tickets for their clients. — Mike Ives, New York Times, "Chinese Fans Paid Dearly for World Cup Tickets That Never Materialized," 21 June 2018 Gabbard was previously married to Eduardo Tamayo (his surname appears on her uniform in some photos); she’s said her time away in the military strained their union to the breaking point. — Celeste Katz, Glamour, "Tulsi Gabbard Wants to Put a Little ‘Aloha’ in the 2020 Race," 19 Jan. 2019 Not to butter you up, but that’s so sweet. pic.twitter.com/UKBNcfeR4c — McDonald's (@McDonalds) June 12, 2018 As for McDonald's, the fast food granddaddy, the company still represents itself with the golden arches logo and Ronald's surname. — Howard Cohen, miamiherald, "Burgers versus pancakes, Miami fast food chain reacts to IHOP's marketing gimmick," 12 June 2018 His father, Li Ke, had apparently invented his surname, partly to disguise his real genealogy and partly to forge a connection to the royal Li clan that ruled the Tang dynasty. — Yunte Huang, WSJ, "‘The Banished Immortal’ Review: ‘Heaven Begot a Talent Like Me’," 11 Jan. 2019 The diamond chain features bubble-like writing, personalized to feature her brand new surname. — Amy Mackelden, Harper's BAZAAR, "Hailey Baldwin's New Necklace Will Inspire You to Shop Personalized Jewelry," 25 Nov. 2018 Kate Middleton's official title is Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cambridge, as listed under the name and surname part of the birth certificate. — Lyndsey Matthews, Town & Country, "How Prince Louis's Birth Certificate Compares to Prince George and Princess Charlotte’s," 1 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'surname.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.