surname

Plural: surnames

Noun

the name used to identify the members of a family (as distinguished from each member's given name)
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).
Synonym of epithet, an additional name, particularly those derived from a birthplace, quality, or achievement.
Synonym of nickname, an additional name given to a person, place, or thing, a byname.
The cognomen of Roman names.
A clan.

Verb

Verb Forms: surnamed, surnaming, surnames

To give someone a family name or an additional name.
To give a surname to.
To call by a surname.

Examples

James is my first name, and Smith is my surname.
We decided to surname the highest scoring Scrabble play ’The Unbeatable’.

Origin / Etymology

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

Synonyms

cognomen, family name, last name, epithet, nickname, surname, to-name

Scrabble Score: 9

surname: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
surname: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
surname: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 12

surname: valid Words With Friends Word