surname

1 of 2

noun

sur·​name ˈsər-ˌnām 

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

2 of 2

verb

surnamed; surnaming; surnames

transitive verb

: to give a surname to

Synonyms of surname

Noun

• family name
• last name
• epithet

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

In my case, identity documents issued in Puerto Rico use both my paternal and maternal surname, as is the custom in Latin America. —Delmarie Alicea, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 Mar. 2026

In 2024, memes nicknaming Haddad ‘Taxad’ — a pun combining tax and his surname — flooded the internet after a tariff on cheap international online shopping generated controversy. —ABC News, 20 Mar. 2026

Verb

In 2013, he was charged with fraud for allegedly failing to repay 100 million won ($89,000) to an accuser surnamed Choi. —Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 19 Mar. 2026

The teen, surnamed Lu, cushioned his piggy bank after receiving products worth 4.76 million yuan ($680,000), thanks to his 11,900 phony return requests addressed to the unnamed brand. —Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 22 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for surname

• acclaim
• aflame
• airframe
• ballgame
• became
• declaim
• defame
• disclaim
• doorframe
• exclaim
• inflame
• mainframe

Kids Definition

surname

noun

sur·​name

ˈsər-ˌnām

1

: an added name : nickname

2

: the name held in common by members of a family

surname verb