surname
gb/sˈɚnˌeɪm/ us/sˈɚnˌeɪm/
B1
English
~ 8500
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B1
entity
1
family name or last name
The name that all people in the same family share, usually written after your first name.
Usage pattern:
[someone]’s surname is [name]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'surname' with 'first name' or 'given name'. On forms, 'surname' always means the family name, not the personal name. Another common mistake is writing or saying *'sir name'* instead of 'surname'; this is incorrect. In American English, 'last name' is more common in speech, but 'surname' appears often on official forms.
Synonyms
last name (Very common in everyday English, especially in American English; slightly more informal than 'surname' in some contexts.)
|
family name (Common internationally and in forms; focuses on the name shared by the family rather than its position in the full name.)
Antonyms
given name (Refers to the personal or first name, which contrasts with the family surname.)
|
first name (Common everyday opposite, especially when asking for personal details: 'first name' vs 'surname'.)
Collocations
first name and surname
|full name and surname
|change your surname
|surname at birth
|husband’s surname
|shared surname
Themes
identity
|family
|administration
|relationships
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Please write your surname in capital letters on the form.
- After getting married, she decided to keep her own surname.
- His surname is very common in this country, so people often confuse him with others.
- In many cultures, children take their father’s surname.
- The author publishes under a different surname for privacy reasons.
Learner examples
- My surname is Kim.
- Please spell your surname for me.
- What is your first name and surname?
- She changed her surname after the wedding.
- We all have the same surname in my family.
Verb
archaic
C2
action
2
to give a family name
To give a person a family name or an extra name.
Usage pattern:
to surname [someone] [name]
Common mistake:
This verb form is very rare in modern English. Learners should normally use the noun 'surname' and the verb 'to name', not 'to surname', in everyday contexts.
Synonyms
name (A broad, very common verb meaning to give any kind of name; 'surname' is more specific and now rare.)
Antonyms
leave unnamed (Means not giving a name at all, which is the opposite of giving a surname.)
Collocations
surname a child
|surname him [name]
|surname someone after [person]
Themes
identity
|history
|relationships
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The child was surnamed Brown after his adoptive family.
- In the old records, the king is surnamed 'the Great'.
- The poet was surnamed 'the Melancholic' by his admirers.
- They surnamed the boy after his grandfather.
Learner examples
- In old books, a king may be surnamed "the Great".
- The hero is surnamed "the Brave" in the story.
- A prince was sometimes surnamed after his city.
Grammar
Expressions
change your surname
1/t͡ʃˈeɪnd͡ʒ jˈʊɹ sˈɚnˌeɪm/
fixed phrase
legally take a new surname
To stop using your old family name and start using a new one, usually in an official way.
Examples
- After the divorce, he decided not to change his surname.
- In some countries it is quite easy to change your surname.
first name and surname
1/fˈɚst nˈeɪm ˈænd sˈɚnˌeɪm/
fixed phrase
given name plus family name
Someone’s full basic name: their personal name and their family name.
Examples
- Please print your first name and surname at the top of each page.
- The receptionist asked for my first name and surname before checking the booking.
shared surname
1/ʃˈɛɹd sˈɚnˌeɪm/
fixed phrase
the same family name
A family name that is the same for two or more people.
Examples
- Their shared surname led people to think they were related.
- A shared surname does not always mean you belong to the same family.
surname at birth
1/sˈɚnˌeɪm ˈæt bˈɚθ/
fixed phrase
formal
family name when born
The family name you had when you were born, before any later change.
Examples
- On the application form you must give your surname at birth.
- Her surname at birth was Garcia, but she now uses her partner’s name.