1
as in family name
a name shared by members of a family
judging from your surname, I'd guess that your family is Italian
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2
as in nickname
a descriptive or familiar name given instead of or in addition to the one belonging to an individual
"da Vinci" was Leonardo's surname but not his family name, Vinci being the town near Florence where the great artist was born
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of surname
Sushmita Pathak, The Christian Science Monitor, 3 Mar. 2025
Sherry was identified on 23andMe as a great aunt to a young woman with the surname Greenglass, which prompted my mom to check her own ancestry profile online.
—Pamela Chelin, People.com, 22 Feb. 2025
Chris Lau, CNN, 9 May 2023
The Chengdu police used social media on Wednesday to report that a 39-year-old man surnamed Chen was arrested on suspicion of opening a casino.
—Patrick Frater, Variety, 22 Nov. 2023
See All Example Sentences for surname
Noun
People with Dalit surnames say they have been denied housing, socially ostracized, and even the victims of communal violence.
—Sushmita Pathak, The Christian Science Monitor, 3 Mar. 2025
Sherry was identified on 23andMe as a great aunt to a young woman with the surname Greenglass, which prompted my mom to check her own ancestry profile online.
—Pamela Chelin, People.com, 22 Feb. 2025
Verb
Gansu authorities said the suspect, surnamed Hong, was questioned in the city of Dongguan in southern Guangdong province on May 5.
—Chris Lau, CNN, 9 May 2023
The Chengdu police used social media on Wednesday to report that a 39-year-old man surnamed Chen was arrested on suspicion of opening a casino.
—Patrick Frater, Variety, 22 Nov. 2023
See All Example Sentences for surname
Recent Examples of Synonyms for surname
Noun
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The dark cloud of negativity engulfing the revered family name… This serves only to alienate him from his father, family and the public.—
Stephanie Nolasco,
FOXNews.com,
17 Apr. 2025
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Using a mother's maiden name as a baby's middle name, like Hardy and his wife Caleigh Ryan recently did, is becoming a more common way to carry on a family name.—
Anna Halkidis,
Parents,
18 Mar. 2025
Noun
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That includes name, image and likeness but also voice, signature, nickname and other unique personal aspects.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
13 Apr. 2025
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Flintoff – better known by his nickname Freddie – was seriously injured in a motoring accident in 2022, during filming of the BBC car show Top Gear.—
Caroline Frost,
Deadline,
12 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Red Bull hosted a special experience titled Red Bull Mirage at Coachella Weekend 1.—
Mecca Pryor,
Essence,
14 Apr. 2025
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True to their history, the album isn’t being titled or packaged like a conventional best-of.—
Brett Milano,
Boston Herald,
13 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Her suitcase marked with her last name was found in the baggage claim area by airport staff, officials said.—
Paloma Chavez,
Sacbee.com,
11 Apr. 2025
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But the 69 million married women in America who have taken their spouse’s last name and don’t have a birth certificate matching their legal name could face hurdles when registering to vote or updating their voter registration.—
Maggie McGrath,
Forbes.com,
11 Apr. 2025
Noun
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This species has no fragrance; its lavender appellation simply acknowledges its flower color while its rosemary epithet indicates its seacoast habitat.—
Joshua Siskin,
Orange County Register,
22 Mar. 2025
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More than a decade after Breaking Bad ended, Aaron Paul still can’t escape his character’s signature epithet.—
John Russell,
People.com,
19 Mar. 2025
Verb
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It wasn’t named in the companion antitrust cases of Hubbard or Carter, either.—
Daniel Libit,
Sportico.com,
11 Apr. 2025
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She is named Lauren Shriner by the LAPD in all records and in a press release regarding the incident.—
Kevin Dolak,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Gaga paired a boxy leather moto jacket with a pair of black brief-length shorts, styling the look with her go-to shoe: A sky-high pair of platform heels, of course, punctuated with below-the-knee socks.—
Christian Allaire,
Vogue,
21 Apr. 2025
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The Retreat Linen Top and matching Mid-rise Shorts, both over 40 percent off, can be styled together for a polished resort outfit or worn separately with basics for casual, everyday wear.—
Rosie Marder,
Travel + Leisure,
20 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Masters Betting Promos: First-Bet Offers For those who wish to tackle the tournament with a first-bet offer that pays back losing first wagers in bonus bets -- often termed no-sweat bets, safety nets and other similar names -- the following offers are worth checking out.—
Raja Krishnamoorthi,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Apr. 2025
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Another aspect to consider in discussions was what Wann termed ‘parachute payments’.—
Tom Burrows,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Surname.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/surname. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
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