ENGLISH
REFERENCE

surname

n. countable
A1 Beginner US //ˈsɝˌneɪm// UK //sˈɜːneɪm// sur·name Archaic

n. the name you share with your family. In many cultures, it is the name that comes last.

n. the hereditary name shared by members of a family. Often follows the given name in Western naming conventions.


SIMPLE

My first name is David and my surname is Smith.

CONTEXTUAL

Please write your surname in capital letters on the application form to avoid any confusion with your middle name.

COMPLEX

In some cultures, the surname precedes the given name, reflecting a traditional emphasis on family lineage over individual identity within formal social structures.

Synonyms
Origin

Inherited from Middle English surname, a partial calque of Old French surnum, surnoun (“surname; nickname”) (whence Middle English surnoun), from Late Latin supernōmen, suprānōmen (“surname”), from super- (“over, above, beyond”) and nōmen (“name”), equivalent to sur- + name.

Usage

Commonly referred to as a 'last name' or 'family name' in North American English.

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