surnamen.
/ˈsəːneɪm/, U.S. /ˈsərˌneɪm/ 1. † b. A second, or an alternative, name or title given to a person, place, edifice, etc. Obsolete.
a. A name, title, or epithet added to a person's name or names, esp. one derived from his birthplace or from some quality or achievement. Obsolete or archaic.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > naming > name or appellation > [noun] > nickname or additional name
to-namec950
eke-name1303
surnamec1330
bynamec1374
nickname1440
addition1472
epitheton1570
by-term1579
epithet1579
agnomination1590
adjunct1598
apathaton1598
byword1598
nurse-name1605
familiar name1611
suradditiona1616
sobriquet1646
agname1652
last name1695
agnomen1809
cognomen1811
soubriquet1818
nickery1823
handle1838
cognomination1843
moniker1851
eponym1863
adname1890
tag1961
c1330 Arth. & Merl. 5488 (Kölbing) Þe .xxxix. Osoman, cert, His surname was: hardi of hert.
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Fairf. 14) l. 15218 Ivdas of þa xij. was an. his surnome scariot hiȝt.
c1400 Mandeville's Trav. (1839) 104 Fro thens gon men to Nazarethe, of the whiche oure lord berethe the surname.
c1480 (a1400) St. James Less 15 in W. M. Metcalfe Legends Saints Sc. Dial. (1896) I. 150 Þis haly manne [sc. James the Less], þat foure swrnamys had.
1526 Bible (Tyndale) Acts i. 23 Barsabas (whose syrname was Iustus).
1577 R. Holinshed Hist. Eng. 84/1 in Chron. I Whiche sitting stil in Rome had triumphs and surnames appointed them of such nations as their captains did vanquishe.
1590 R. Harvey Plaine Percevall sig. B3 My sirname is Peace-Maker, one that is but poorely regarded in England.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Coriolanus (1623) v. iii. 171 To his sur-name Coriolanus longs more pride Then pitty to our Prayers. View more context for this quotation
1683 W. Kennett tr. Erasmus Witt against Wisdom 118 If they did but practice their Sirname of Most Holy.
1702 C. Mather Magnalia Christi iii. ii. i. 70/2 They gave Janus the Sir-name of Pater.
1837 T. Carlyle French Revol. I. i. i. 3 President Hénault, remarking on royal Surnames of Honour [etc.].
1842 Ld. Tennyson St. Simeon Stylites in Poems (new ed.) II. 60 I, Simeon of the pillar, by surname Stylites.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > naming > name or appellation > [noun] > alternative name
surnamea1425
a1425 (c1395) Bible (Wycliffite, L.V.) (Royal) (1850) Ecclus. xlvii. 19 In the name of the Lord, to whom the surname [1382 toname] is God of Israel.
a1425 (c1395) Bible (Wycliffite, L.V.) (Royal) (1850) Gen. xxxv. 6 Therfor Jacob cam to Lusa,..bi sire name Bethel.
?a1500 Chester Pl. (1906) 16 The church is called St. Mary The surname Ara Cœli.
1513 G. Douglas tr. Virgil Æneid viii. x. 12 The Grekis ancyane, Quhilk clepit bene to surname Pelasgane.
1531 T. Elyot Bk. named Gouernour ii. iv. sig. Ovii Nobilitie, whiche is the commendation, and as it were, the surname of vertue.
1567 G. Fenton tr. M. Bandello Certaine Tragicall Disc. i. sig. Evi With what title or sorname of constancy the fond philosophers of olde time do baptyse those accions of meare fury.
1632 W. Lithgow Totall Disc. Trav. iv. 150 They will not be content with the bare name of Images, but they impose a surname or epithite of sanctity, tearming them holy Images.
1646 M. Lluelyn Men-miracles 66 Peter is Sirname to his Salt [sc. saltpetre].
1656 A. Cowley Davideis iv. 146 (note) in Poems I have before declared that Baal was the Sun, and Baal Peor, a sirname, from a particular place of his worship.
2.
a. The name which a person bears in common with the other members of his family, as distinguished from his Christian or given name; a family name.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > naming > name or appellation > [noun] > surname
nameeOE
surnounc1325
surname1393
overname1574
agnomination1590
family name1646
last name1695
terminal1866
1393 W. Langland Piers Plowman C. iv. 369 Þat is noȝt reisonable..to refusy my syres sorname [v.rr. surname, sirename].
1465 Irish Act 5 Edw. IV c. 16 Qe chescun irroys home..preigne a luy surname englois de vne vile come Sutton Chestr..ou color come White Blake.
1489 (a1380) J. Barbour Bruce (Adv.) iii. 99 Twa brethir..Thar surname wes Makyne Drosser; That is al-so mekill to say her As the Durwarth sonnys.
1565 in F. J. Furnivall Child-marriages, Divorces, & Ratifications Diocese Chester (1897) 65 Sir Edmound (what his syrname was, this deponent knoweth not), a priest that syrved at Balderston Chappell.
1595 A. Maunsell Catal. To Stationers sig. *3 They make their Alphabet by the Christen name, I by the Sir name.
1605 W. Camden Remaines i. 32 In late yeeres Surnames have beene given for Christian names among vs, and no where else in Christendome.
1691 A. Wood Athenæ Oxonienses I. 224 I find seven of his Sirname to be Students in the said College.
1749 H. Fielding Tom Jones III. vii. xii. 97 But the Lieutenant..was not contented with Sophia only. He said, he must have her Sir-name . View more context for this quotation
1818 H. Hallam View Europe Middle Ages I. ii. 145 Two innovations devised in the eleventh and twelfth centuries; the adoption of sir-names, and of armorial bearings.
1875 W. S. Hayward Love against World 72 I shall not sign my surname.
1876 E. A. Freeman Hist. Norman Conquest V. xxv. 563 The Norman Conquest..brought with it the novelty of family nomenclature, that is to say, the use of hereditary surnames.
b. transferred, esp. = cognomen n. 1 (a), e.g. Publius Cornelius Scipio.
ΚΠ
c1480 (a1400) St. John Baptist 928 in W. M. Metcalfe Legends Saints Sc. Dial. (1896) II. 249 Þe thred herrod had alsua til his suornome agrippa.
1481 W. Caxton tr. Siege & Conqueste Jerusalem (1893) xxxiv. 71 In this tyme was Emperour a greke,..and was named alexes, and to his surname Conius [i.e. Alexius Comnenus I].
1579 T. North tr. Plutarch Liues 39 Touching Romulus surname..some saye that it signifieth as much as warlike.
1598 R. Grenewey tr. Tacitus Annales ii. vii. 42 That none of the Scribonian familie should take vpon him the surname of Drusus.
1654 tr. M. Martini Bellum Tartaricum 106 Adding to his name (as usually they do) the Sirname of Pingsi.
ΘΚΠ
society > society and the community > kinship or relationship > kinship group > clan > [noun]
surname1455
sept1518
clana1522
gentility1583
blooda1599
horde1826
gens1855
1455 in J. D. Marwick Charters Edinb. (1871) 79 The surnam and nerrest of blude to the said Williame.
1508 W. Kennedy Flyting (Chepman & Myllar) in Poems W. Dunbar (1998) I. 214 Hang Dunbar, Quarter and draw, and mak that surname thin.
1553–4 Reg. Privy Council Scotl. I. 152 Thame, their kyn, freyndis, servandis, allya, assisteris and surname.
1565 in J. H. Burton Reg. Privy Council Scotl. (1877) 1st Ser. I. 361 To resset ony rebellis and surname of Clangregour.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1918; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
surnamev.
/ˈsəːneɪm/, /səːˈneɪm/, U.S. /ˈsərˌneɪm/ To give a surname to: chiefly passive.† 3. To call by another or additional name; to attach another appellation or designation to; more widely, to designate, entitle. Obsolete.
1. transitive. To give an additional name, title, or epithet to (a person).
a. with descriptive adjective, noun, or phrase.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > naming > give a name to [verb (transitive)] > give additional name to > descriptive name
surname1548
1548 Hall's Vnion: Henry VI f. cv He gathered so muche treasure, that no man in maner had money but he, and so was he surnamed the riche Cardinall of Winchester.
1560 J. Daus tr. J. Sleidane Commentaries f. lixv That seing we professe the name of Christ, we may rightly chalenge that to our selues, that we may be surnamed Christians.
1598 W. Shakespeare Love's Labour's Lost v. ii. 544 I Pompey am, Pompey surnamde the bigge. View more context for this quotation
1601 P. Holland tr. Pliny Hist. World I. v. xxix. 108 The renowmed cittie Magnesia, surnamed, Vpon Mæander.
1607 R. Johnson (title) The Most Pleasant History of Tom a Lincolne,..the Red Rose Knight, who for his valour..was surnamed the Boast of England.
1634 T. Herbert Relation Some Yeares Trauaile 30 Tamberlaine (sirnamed the Scourge of God).
1671 J. Milton Paradise Regain'd ii. 199 How hee sirnam'd of Africa dismiss'd..the fair Iberian maid. View more context for this quotation
1769 W. Robertson Hist. Charles V III. xii. 454 His successor Cosmo, sirnamed the Great.
1807 G. Chalmers Caledonia I. iii. vii. 396 Kenneth IV..was sirnamed Grim, from the strength of his body, rather than the force of his character.
1871 S. Smiles Character i. 20 William of Orange, surnamed the Silent.
1908 E. Fowler Between Trent & Ancholme 73 We surnamed our young friend ‘Orpheus with his Flute’.
b. with a recognized proper name.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > naming > give a name to [verb (transitive)] > give additional name to > proper name or surname
surname1539
byname1587
1539 Bible (Great) Acts x. 18 Symon which was syrnamed Peter.
1576 G. Gascoigne Steele Glas 490 Paulus he, (Æmilius surnamed).
1611 Bible (King James) Isa. xliv. 5 Another shall subscribe with his hand vnto the Lord, and surname himselfe by the name of Israel. View more context for this quotation
1613 S. Purchas Pilgrimage i. xvi. 73 Antiochus his sonne, surnamed Epiphanes.
1756 tr. J. G. Keyssler Trav. I. 51 The famous Switzer, Theophrastus Bompast, sirnamed Paracelsus.
1805 W. Cruise Digest Laws Eng. Real Prop. V. 9 Roger sirnamed Vacarius,..read public lectures at Oxford on the Roman law.
1868 E. A. Freeman Hist. Norman Conquest II. viii. 205 The commander of the district was Thurstan surnamed Goz.
2. To give such-and-such a surname to; to call (a person) by his surname or family name.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > naming > give a name to [verb (transitive)] > give additional name to > proper name or surname > call by surname
surname1512
1512 Act 4 Hen. VIII c. 9. §1 By what soever name or names surname or surnames the same William be named or surnamed in the said acte.
1605 R. Verstegan Restit. Decayed Intelligence vi. 181 [They] began to surname themselues after such places as they properly possessed.
c1630 T. Risdon Chorogr. Surv. Devon §60 Rockbeare..had.. lords sirnamed thereof.
a1691 H. Piers Chorogr. Descr. W.-Meath in C. Vallancey Collectanea de Rebus Hibernicis (1770) I. i. 108 Thus you have Mac Gowne surname himself Smith [margin. Irish now change their names into English].
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > naming > give a name to [verb (transitive)] > give additional name to
surname1561
surstyle1632
addition1659
1561 in J. P. Heath Some Acct. Worshipful Company of Grocers (1869) 96 Evil pepper syrnamed gynger.
1599 T. Nashe Lenten Stuffe 35 The Scotish Iockies or Redshanks (so surnamed of their immoderate raunching vp the red-shanks or red herrings).
1601 P. Holland tr. Pliny Hist. World I. v. xxvii. 105 Seleucia upon the river Calicadmus, surnamed also Trachiotis.
1606 G. W. tr. Justinus Hist. xx. 76 Al that part of Italy (sur-named the greater Greece).
1632 W. Lithgow Totall Disc. Trav. vii. 311 The great Pyramides, surnamed the Worlds wonders.
1671 J. Milton Paradise Regain'd iv. 276 All the schools Of Academics old and new, with those Sirnam'd Peripatetics. View more context for this quotation
1697 J. Potter Archæologiæ Græcæ I. i. viii. 32 The other Part of the Temple..Sirnam'd Πολιὰς.
Derivatives
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > naming > [adjective] > named or called > with other specific kind of name
own-named1612
new-named1622
surnamed1659
nominate1818
numerical1872
epitheted1880
branded1897
1659 J. Milton Civil Power in Wks. (1851) V. 317 The papist..by the church,..understands the pope, the general councels prelatical only and the surnam'd fathers.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1918; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
<
n.c1330
v.1512