From Middle English surname, a partial calque of Old French surnum, surnoun ("surname; nickname") (whence Middle English surnoun), from Late Latin supernōmen, suprānōmen, from super- ("over, above, beyond") and nōmen, equivalent to sur- + name.

• (America) enPR: sûrʹnām'; IPA: /ˈsɝˌneɪm/
• (British) enPR: sûʹnām'; IPA: /ˈsɜːˌneɪm/

surname (plural surnames)

1. The portion of a person's name that is generally hereditary or treated as an indicator of a person's family, which may be shared with other members of the family, or otherwise derived from their names in some fashion; distinguished from that person's given name(s).

   Synonyms: Thesaurus:surname

   James is my first name, and Smith is my surname.

   • 1605, William Camden, Remaines, I 32:

     In late yeeres Surnames have beene given for Christian names among vs, and no where else in Christendom.

   • 1876, E. A. Freeman, The History of the Norman Conquest, V xxv 563:

     The Norman Conquest...brought with it the novelty of family nomenclature, that is to say, the use of hereditary surnames.

2. (obsolete) Synonym of epithet, an additional name, particularly those derived from a birthplace, quality, or achievement.
   • 1526, [William Tyndale, transl.], The Newe Testamẽt […] (Tyndale Bible), [Worms, Germany: Peter Schöffer], →OCLC ↗, Acts j:[23]:

     Barsabas (whose syrname was Iustus).

   • 1590, Richard Harvey, Plaine Percevall the peace-maker of England, Sweetly indeuoring with his blunt persuasions to botch vp a reconciliation between Mar-ton and Mar-tother, B3:

     My sirname is Peace-Maker, one that is but poorely regarded in England.

   • c. 1608–1609 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Coriolanus”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC ↗, [Act V, scene iii], line 171:

     To his sur-name Coriolanus longs more pride
     Then pitty to our Prayers.

3. (obsolete) Synonym of nickname, an additional name given to a person, place, or thing, a byname.
   • 1638, Abraham Cowley, Davideis, section IV:

     I have before declared that Baal was the Sun, and Baal Peor, a sirname, from a particular place of his worship.

4. (Classical studies) The cognomen of Roman names.
5. (Scottish, obsolete) A clan.

• French: nom, patronyme, nom de famille
• German: Nachname, Familienname
• Italian: cognome
• Portuguese: apelido (Portugal, means "nickname" in Brazil), sobrenome, nome de família, último nome (when appearing last)
• Russian: фами́лия
• Spanish: apellido

surname (surnames, present participle surnaming; simple past and past participle surnamed)

1. (transitive) To give a surname to.
2. (transitive) To call by a surname.
   • 1905, Howard Pyle, “The Story of Launcelot”, in The Story of the Champions of the Round Table‎, New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, page 66 ↗:

     “Lord,” said Sir Launcelot, “I am hight Launcelot, and am surnamed ‘He of the Lake.’”

• French: surnommer, donner un surnom
• Spanish: apodar

• Spanish: apodo