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
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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
Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 4 May 2025
And then there’s Brian Steel, whose sole flashy trait is his surname.
—Charles Bethea, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2025
Chris Lau, CNN, 9 May 2023
The Chengdu police used social media on Wednesday to report that a 39-year-old man surnamed Chen was arrested on suspicion of opening a casino.
—Patrick Frater, Variety, 22 Nov. 2023
See All Example Sentences for surname
Noun
The new pope’s name, as well as his baptismal names, will be translated into Latin in the announcement but his former surname will remain in his native language.
—Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 4 May 2025
And then there’s Brian Steel, whose sole flashy trait is his surname.
—Charles Bethea, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2025
Verb
Gansu authorities said the suspect, surnamed Hong, was questioned in the city of Dongguan in southern Guangdong province on May 5.
—Chris Lau, CNN, 9 May 2023
The Chengdu police used social media on Wednesday to report that a 39-year-old man surnamed Chen was arrested on suspicion of opening a casino.
—Patrick Frater, Variety, 22 Nov. 2023
See All Example Sentences for surname
Recent Examples of Synonyms for surname
Noun
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Also in the family name is Mistress Isabelle Brooks, Drag Race’s sequined Satan with a smile.—
Chris Feil,
Vulture,
23 May 2025
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Whether creating magic together (à la the Coen brothers and Billie Eilish with Finneas O'Connell) or going solo in separate races, these twosomes brought prestige to the family name.—
Lydia Price,
People.com,
2 Mar. 2025
Noun
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But few nicknames reach the height of the headless chicken monster.—
Amanda Kooser,
Forbes.com,
21 May 2025
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The rocky bluffs make the waters particularly treacherous, earning the tip of Door County a wild nickname: Death’s Door.—
Jacqueline Kehoe,
AFAR Media,
21 May 2025
Verb
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The feats were chronicled in a documentary titled ‘5o Meters to History: The First Superhuman’.—
Leon Imber,
New York Times,
22 May 2025
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In a 2024 report titled Creator Entrepreneurs on the Rise, creative agency Billion Dollar Boy found that 88% of creators have already launched their own product or service and a staggering 93% plan to do so within the next 12 months.—
Ian Shepherd,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2025
Noun
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How Barragan opened up a spot bearing his last name in 1961 at a former coffee shop that seated only 24.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
21 May 2025
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In contrast, satellite news channels were broadcasting wall-to-wall coverage of President Trump’s visit to the Middle East, said Majid, who asked that his last name not be published for fear of retribution.—
Farnaz Fassihi,
New York Times,
17 May 2025
Noun
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The men pulled Khan and his relatives from the truck and began beating them and shouting anti-Muslim epithets.—
Andrew Marantz,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2025
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Police said an investigation revealed the man had been sitting in the plaza when the woman approached him and without provocation spat on him while yelling a racial epithet directed at Black people.—
Jason Green,
Mercury News,
15 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The victim, who has not been named by investigators, was ultimately able to escape.—
John Miller,
CNN Money,
30 May 2025
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In 2015, he was named head coach at Montana, one of the top FCS programs in the country.—
Bruce Feldman,
New York Times,
30 May 2025
Verb
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The neckline can be adjusted to a halter-top or even strapless style, so there’s tons of styling potential in it.—
Alyssa Grabinski,
People.com,
27 May 2025
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The performer was styled by Chantelle Thach, who also styles the likes of Kali Uchis.—
Mikelle Street,
Footwear News,
26 May 2025
Verb
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Pittman is termed out of office in December 2026 and has been pondering his next political move.—
Josh Kurtz,
Baltimore Sun,
22 May 2025
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The legislation also takes a hatchet to amortization, which is the depreciation of non-tangible assets often termed goodwill.—
Brendan Coffey,
Sportico.com,
22 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Surname.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/surname. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.
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