family name

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noun
  1. the hereditary surname of a family.

  2. a given name frequently used in a family.

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Origin of family name

1
First recorded in 1690–1700

Words Nearby family name

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

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British Dictionary definitions for family name

family name

noun
  1. a surname, esp when regarded as representing the family honour

  2. a first or middle name frequently used in a family, often originally a surname

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012