Thesaurus results for SURNAMES

surnames 1 of 2

noun

Definition of surnames next

plural of surname

as in family names

a name shared by members of a family judging from your surname, I'd guess that your family is Italian

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as in nicknames

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

surnames

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of surname

as in titles

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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 surnames

Noun

Unoaerre, previously known as Gori & Zucchi from the surnames of the two founders Leopoldo and Carlo, is credited with having spurred the industrialization of what was previously a local craft largely dependent on small, artisanal workshops and ateliers based in the town. —

Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 27 May 2026 Such hospitality was reserved for a narrow category of humanity, resembling as closely as possible those local barons whose surnames crusted the stones of local cemeteries. —

Literary Hub, 24 Apr. 2026 The top five American surnames — Smith, Johnson, Williams, Brown and Jones — remained unchanged from 2010 to 2020, but Asian surnames surged to become the fastest-growing in the decade. —

Mike Schneider, Los Angeles Times, 14 Apr. 2026 The best iterations of this event over the past half-century have culminated in victories by global superstars whose surnames are unnecessary. —

Jason Sobel, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2026 For some families, maiden names or other significant surnames are carried on as first names. —

Lisa Milbrand, Parents, 1 Apr. 2026 Hispanic surnames Huff accused Zamora of mounting a primary challenge against her — rather than seeking an open seat or one held by a Latino judge — because of Huff’s race. —

Molly Smith, San Antonio Express-News, 20 Mar. 2026 For her and many other Iranians who spoke to CNN – their surnames withheld to protect their identities – the past three weeks have been filled with a sense of hopelessness and fear. —

Leila Gharagozlou, CNN Money, 20 Mar. 2026 The endless vowels of their surnames—Ruuttu, Saarinen, Ruotsalainen—sail through his mind like a song. —

Boris Fishman, Travel + Leisure, 8 Feb. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for surnames

Noun

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