surname

Meanings

Noun

• An additional name, particularly those derived from a birthplace, quality, or achievement; an epithet.
• An additional name given to a person, place, or thing; a byname or nickname.
• The name a person shares with other members of that person's family, distinguished from that person's given name or names; a family name.
• The cognomen of Roman names.
• A clan.

Verb

• To give a surname to.
• To call by a surname.

Related

Similar words

• epithet (additional descriptive name)
• nickname, sobriquet, byname (additional name)
• family name, last name, to-name (hereditary name denoting one's family)

Broader meaning words

• name

Origin

• From Middle English surname, a partial calque of Old French surnum, surnoun (whence Middle English surnoun), from Late Latin supernōmen, suprānōmen, from super- and nōmen..