family name

as in surname
a name shared by members of a family searched for their family name on a popular genealogy website

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of family name 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 Blue has definitely spent the past few years living up to the Carter family name, and even her aunt Solange couldn’t resist showering her with love on social media. Kyle Denis, Billboard, 29 Apr. 2025 His death sparked an international outpouring from fans and cemented the family name in Hollywood and beyond. Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 24 Apr. 2025 And if anything, the absence of the controversial Le Pen family name is a plus for the rest of the French electorate. Cole Stangler, Time, 1 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for family name
Recent Examples of Synonyms for family name
Noun
  • Amid the rift with his father, Harry spoke with his uncle Charles Spencer about changing his family’s last name to Princess Diana's surname, Spencer, but was told the legal challenges would be insurmountable.
    Simon Perry, People.com, 5 June 2025
  • Take their choice to formally use both of their surnames, for example.
    Theresa Pichler, Glamour, 2 June 2025
Noun
  • Fort Bragg, which was changed to Fort Liberty by the Biden administration, was the first to have its original name restored after the Army found another person with the same last name.
    Lolita C. Baldor, Christian Science Monitor, 11 June 2025
  • The track is credited to John and Yoko as a duo, with their last names left off.
    Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 11 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Family name.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/family%20name. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.

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