family name
Americannoun
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the hereditary surname of a family.
-
a given name frequently used in a family.
noun
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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
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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.
The paternal great-grandmother of goalie Matt Turner fled religious persecution in Lithuania, with his Jewish ancestors changing their family name from Turnovski to Turner when they arrived at Ellis Island.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 15, 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
At the Islam Qala crossing point in Herat province, western Afghanistan, Talibshah, who did not to give his family name, said he had been working in agriculture northwest of Tehran.
From Barron's • Mar. 11, 2026
Others, however, suggest Brooklyn is spoiled, has taken advantage of the family name himself, and shouldn't post on social media about his desire for privacy.
From BBC • Jan. 20, 2026
“You have no family name you want—no inviting trap for a rich relative, no proud name to re-create?”
From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck
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.
