family name

as in surname
a name shared by members of a family searched for their family name on a popular genealogy website

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of family name The family name was Zhou (or Chou), which, in Chinese culture, comes first, as in the name of the late Premier Zhou Enlai. Michael Barnes, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025 The family name, Vajra, is an ancient way of spelling the family’s surname, Vaira. Irene S. Levine, Forbes.com, 24 June 2025 Trump Mobile follows a long line of various products featuring the Trump family name that President Trump and his family have promoted, including the Trump meme coin, Trump sneakers and Trump guitars. Max Zahn, ABC News, 16 June 2025 For Cassity, turning the cemetery into an asset to the community has been a way to repair the family name, which was tarnished when his father, who died in 2020, and his brother Brent served jail time for fraud. Pat Saperstein, Variety, 13 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for family name
Recent Examples of Synonyms for family name
Noun
  • They have been married since 1999, combining their previous surnames, True and Frost.
    Derek Lawrence, EW.com, 29 July 2025
  • The new film’s title references the surname of Stiller’s character, Greg Focker.
    Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 28 July 2025
Noun
  • At the latter, Neiman was part of the class of 1950 that included talents like Robert Clark (who later changed his last name to Indiana), and Leon Golub.
    Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 1 Aug. 2025
  • The travel document issued by South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which authorizes international travel for adoption, replaced her last name, in Korean, with that of White, and listed the address of Holt Children’s Services as her own.
    Yoonjung Seo, CNN Money, 1 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Family name.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/family%20name. Accessed 7 Aug. 2025.

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