Your surname is the name that you share with other members of your family. In English speaking countries and many other countries it is your last name.
She'd never known his surname.
Although they share a surname they are not related.
Synonyms: family name, last name, patronymic, matronymic More Synonyms of surname
surname in British English
(ˈsɜːˌneɪm)
noun
1. Also called: last name, second name
a family name as opposed to a first or Christian name
2.
(formerly) a descriptive epithet attached to a person's name to denote a personal characteristic, profession, etc; nickname
verb
3. (transitive)
to furnish with or call by a surname
Derived forms
surnamer (ˈsurˌnamer)
noun
Word origin
C14: via Anglo-French from Old French surnom. See sur-1, name
surname in American English
(ˈsɜrˌneɪm)
noun
1.
the family name, or last name, as distinguished from a given name
2.
a name or epithet added to a person's given name (Ex.: Ivan the Terrible)
verb transitiveWord forms: ˈsurˌnamed or ˈsurˌnaming
3.
to give a surname to
Word origin
ME < sur- (see sur-1) + name, infl. by earlier surnoun < OFr surnom < sur- + nom < L nomen, name
Examples of 'surname' in a sentence
surname
The rest are real surnames of famous people.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
We all used surnames in those days!
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
We have three surnames in our family.
The Sun (2014)
His mother has been released with a makeover and new surname to protect her.
The Sun (2013)
Many people use two surnames to tell themselves apart.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Look for the names of known relatives or of people with family surnames.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
And you should also have a surname or family name.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
There is a rumour that his surname is taken from the hotel they stayed in on their first night.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
We shall not speak as they do, nor shall we adopt their surnames.
Christianity Today (2000)
When our daughter married, her husband changed his surname to ours.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
The surname comes first, followed by a personal name usually composed of two characters.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
At least, he did not have to adopt her surname.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The father's surname would come first.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Surname first please, then first name.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
A new dictionary of surnames has traced the origins of hundreds of common family names.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Her new first name refers to an incident on the trail and she has kept her husband 's surname.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Nor do the figures include the women who still honour the curious custom of adopting their husband 's surname on marriage.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
His real surname is actually Coppola.
The Sun (2010)
So I used that surname to get all the favours from my family.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
While she is likely to get a new surname, she could keep her first name if she finds it hard to answer to another.
The Sun (2013)
There is a strong British influence here and many of the surnames are British.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
In other languages
surname
British English: surname /ˈsɜːˌneɪm/ NOUN
Your surname is the name that you share with other members of your family.
She didn't know his surname, only his first name.
American English: family name
Arabic: لَقَب
Brazilian Portuguese: sobrenome
Chinese: 姓氏
Croatian: prezime
Czech: příjmení
Danish: efternavn
Dutch: achternaam
European Spanish: apellido
Finnish: sukunimi
French: nom de famille
German: Nachname
Greek: επίθετο
Italian: cognome
Japanese: 姓
Korean: 성
Norwegian: etternavn
Polish: nazwisko
European Portuguese: apelido
Romanian: nume de familie
Russian: фамилия
Latin American Spanish: apellido
Swedish: efternamn
Thai: นามสกุล
Turkish: soyadı
Ukrainian: прізвище
Vietnamese: họ tên
British English: surname NOUN
Your surname is the name that you share with other members of your family.
She'd never known his surname.
American English: surname
Brazilian Portuguese: sobrenome
Chinese: 姓
European Spanish: apellido
French: nom de famille
German: Nachname
Italian: cognome
Japanese: 姓
Korean: 성
European Portuguese: apelido
Latin American Spanish: apellido
Chinese translation of 'surname'
surname
(ˈsəːneɪm)
n(c)
姓 (xìng) (个(個), gè)
(noun)
Definition
a family name as opposed to a first or Christian name