Characters remaining: 500/500
Translation

Also found in: English - Vietnamese

surname

/'sə:neim/
Academic
Friendly
Explanation of "Surname"

Definition:
A "surname" is a family name that is shared by members of the same family. It is different from a given name, which is the name you are called personally. For example, in the name "John Smith," "Smith" is the surname, and "John" is the given name.

Usage Instructions:
  • In most cultures, the surname comes after the given name. For example, "Maria Garcia," where "Garcia" is the surname.
  • In some cultures, the surname may come before the given name. For example, in some East Asian cultures, "Li Wei" has "Li" as the surname.
Examples:
  1. "My surname is Johnson."
  2. "In many English-speaking countries, people often refer to each other by their surnames in formal situations."
Advanced Usage:
  • In formal documents, such as passports or legal papers, your surname is usually the name that identifies your family lineage.
  • Surnames can also indicate cultural background or heritage. For example, "Nguyen" is a common Vietnamese surname.
Word Variants:
  • Given Name: This is the name you are called personally, such as "Alice."
  • Middle Name: This is an additional name that can be between the given name and the surname, like "Alice Marie Smith."
Different Meaning:
  • In some contexts, "surname" can also refer to a title or a designation that a person might use in a professional context, but this is less common.
Synonyms:
  • Family name
  • Last name
  • Clan name (in some cultures)
Related Terms:
  • Maiden Name: The surname a woman uses before getting married.
  • Patronymic: A surname derived from the name of a father or ancestor.
Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:

While there are no specific idioms or phrasal verbs directly related to "surname," you might hear phrases like: - "By name and surname," which means to know someone’s full name. - "To name someone," which means to give someone a name, including their surname.

Summary:

A surname is important for identifying family relationships and cultural backgrounds.

Noun
  1. the name used to identify the members of a family (as distinguished from each member's given name)

Comments and discussion on the word "surname"