surname

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   the name used to identify the members of a family, as distinguished from each member's given name

   The surname Patel is quite common.

2. 2
   noun

   The portion of a person's name that is generally hereditary or treated as an indicator of a person's family, which may be shared with other members of the family, or otherwise derived from their names in some fashion; distinguished from that person's given name(s).

   James is my first name, and Smith is my surname.

3. 3
   noun

   Synonym of epithet, an additional name, particularly those derived from a birthplace, quality, or achievement.

   Barsabas (whose syrname was Iustus).

4. 4
   noun

   Synonym of nickname, an additional name given to a person, place, or thing, a byname.

   I have before declared that Baal was the Sun, and Baal Peor, a sirname, from a particular place of his worship.

5. 5
   verb

   To call by a surname.

   “Lord,” said Sir Launcelot, “I am hight Launcelot, and am surnamed ‘He of the Lake.’”

6. 6
   noun

   The cognomen of Roman names.

7. 7
   verb

   To give a surname to.

Etymology

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.