family name
Americannoun
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family names
plural
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the hereditary surname of a family.
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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
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
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.
Inside, in scribbled blue handwriting, we found dozens of names - from shopkeepers and doctors, to military officials and people with the Luka family name.
From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2026
Michel, an 87-year-old resident, who also did not want to give his family name, recalled the "police checks" and "blocked roads" during the ayatollah's stay.
From Barron's ● Mar. 3, 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
A few carts, with well-rested horses, clucked by us quickly, leaving only a glimpse of the prominent family name painted across the back of the carriage.
From "Salt to the Sea" by Ruta Sepetys
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.
