as in surnames
a name shared by members of a family
please write your first name, middle initial, and last name at the top of the form
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of last names
The three accused, who police only identified by first names and initials of their last names, were charged with membership in a foreign terrorist organization and preparing an act of violence endangering the state.
—
Max Saltman, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2025
There are few people in human history whose last names alone are sufficient to conjure up kindness, goodness, wisdom, grace—Mandela, Gandhi, King, Lincoln.
—Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 1 Oct. 2025
According to Fox 35, deputies mistook Vasquez for their suspect due to a one-letter difference in the spelling of their last names.
—Latoya Gayle, PEOPLE, 29 Sep. 2025
This was so touching, that the kids in the group homes would take each other’s last names to replicate being a family.
—Jennifer Wilson, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2025
Both last names were withheld by organizers for safety reasons.
—Andy Humbles, Nashville Tennessean, 24 Sep. 2025
In the fall of 1975, officials assigned students to schools based on their grade levels and the first letter of their last names.
—Krista Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 4 Sep. 2025
Enslaved people weren’t given last names.
—Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025
The boys' last names have not been released by police.
—Ryan Murphy, IndyStar, 26 Aug. 2025
Max Saltman, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2025
There are few people in human history whose last names alone are sufficient to conjure up kindness, goodness, wisdom, grace—Mandela, Gandhi, King, Lincoln.
—Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 1 Oct. 2025
According to Fox 35, deputies mistook Vasquez for their suspect due to a one-letter difference in the spelling of their last names.
—Latoya Gayle, PEOPLE, 29 Sep. 2025
This was so touching, that the kids in the group homes would take each other’s last names to replicate being a family.
—Jennifer Wilson, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2025
Both last names were withheld by organizers for safety reasons.
—Andy Humbles, Nashville Tennessean, 24 Sep. 2025
In the fall of 1975, officials assigned students to schools based on their grade levels and the first letter of their last names.
—Krista Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 4 Sep. 2025
Enslaved people weren’t given last names.
—Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025
The boys' last names have not been released by police.
—Ryan Murphy, IndyStar, 26 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for last names
surnames
Noun
-
He is seen as a younger, more moderate voice – having vowed to clean up politics, initiate discussions on constitutional reform and allow married couples to use separate surnames, something currently banned under law.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
3 Oct. 2025
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Many descendants of the original settlers — with surnames like Crockett, Parks and Thomas — have remained to this day.—
Julie Depenbrock,
NPR,
22 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Last names.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/last%20names. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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