family name
Americannoun
-
the hereditary surname of a family.
-
a given name frequently used in a family.
noun
-
a surname, esp when regarded as representing the family honour
-
a first or middle name frequently used in a family, often originally a surname
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of family name
First recorded in 1690–1700
Compare meaning
How does family-name compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Keiko Fujimori's victory would mark the return of her family name to power, more than two decades after the fall of her father, former president Alberto Fujimori.
From Barron's ● Jun. 24, 2026
The Epstein scandal threatens to deepen a divide among the descendants at a time when the two remaining banks bearing the family name are increasingly in competition.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 30, 2026
"I really wanted to win a Slam for him, to put our family name into history," Sabalenka said in 2022.
From BBC ● Nov. 9, 2025
But there were clues: A tattoo with a family name.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2025
"Your family name is long enough for a song?"
From "Born Behind Bars" by Padma Venkatraman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
