as in surnames
a name shared by members of a family
searched for their family name on a popular genealogy website
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of family names
Commercial viticulture first developed here in the 1970s, led by family names such as Husch, Navarro and Scharffenberger; Husch planted the valley's first Pinot Noir in 1971.
—
Paul Caputo,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2026
The estate has a long, storied history under many family names, but in 1575, the Essenault family rechristened it by contracting their family name to Issan.
—
Mike Desimone,
Robb Report,
17 June 2026
However, unlike similar programs, these folks have to stay true to their Southern roots and family names, a difficult feat in today’s modern world.
—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
16 Feb. 2026
Everyone on both sides of my family has always used family names, which has been really important to me to continue only using family names with my children.
—
Hannah Sacks,
PEOPLE,
4 Nov. 2025
Paul Caputo,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2026
The estate has a long, storied history under many family names, but in 1575, the Essenault family rechristened it by contracting their family name to Issan.
—
Mike Desimone,
Robb Report,
17 June 2026
However, unlike similar programs, these folks have to stay true to their Southern roots and family names, a difficult feat in today’s modern world.
—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
16 Feb. 2026
Everyone on both sides of my family has always used family names, which has been really important to me to continue only using family names with my children.
—
Hannah Sacks,
PEOPLE,
4 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for family names
Noun
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Many common surnames, such as Carpenter or Baker, originated from occupations passed down through generations, reflecting how closely people’s identities were tied to their work.
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Decade after decade, Chicagoans with Italian surnames have hidden instead of objected.
Noun
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While the official surname of the British royal family is Mountbatten-Windsor, royals often use their titles as a basis for last names in instances where one is called for.
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McHale and Dempsey's characters are both Mark but have different last names.
Cite this Entry
“Family names.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/family%20names. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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