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.
Suzette Dumfries is a cousin of Denzel's father Boris, and has a long-standing fascination with the family name and its history.
From BBC ● Jul. 3, 2026
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
But there were clues: A tattoo with a family name.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2025
The Muslim’s “X” symbolized the true African family name that he never could know.
From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey
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.
