last name
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of last name
First recorded in 1895–1900
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.
Corrections & Amplifications The last name of Majda Ruge, a senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, was given incorrectly in one instance as Ruige in an earlier version of this article.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 15, 2026
"It is the last two letters of my last name, after all."
From BBC • Jun. 15, 2026
"Film work has definitely been impacted by AI... it's really kicked us down," said Laura, 35, a director of photography in London, who preferred not to share her last name for professional reasons.
From Barron's • May 27, 2026
Some seek to convey authenticity, if occasionally ham-fistedly; one influencer mispronounces Steyer’s last name.
From Los Angeles Times • May 15, 2026
Mom taught me to always call adults by Ms. or Mr. whatever their last name is, unless they say it’s okay to use their first name.
From "From the Desk of Zoe Washington" by Janae Marks
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.
