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
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a first or middle name frequently used in a family, often originally a surname
Etymology
Origin of family name
First recorded in 1690–1700
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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.
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
From the halls of the NYU Tisch School of the Arts to the luxury suites of Loews Hotels, the family name is etched into the city.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 12, 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
He was a cousin because we had the same family name of Lee, though we had never seen him before.
From "Dragonwings" by Laurence Yep
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.
