Family Tree Template: Last Name Meaning

Last Name Meaning

A surname is a name added to a given name and is part of a personal name. In many cases, a surname is a family name. Many dictionaries define "surname" as a synonym of "family name". In some Western world countries, it is commonly called "last name". In all Western countries in North and South America as well as Europe, a surname is placed at the end of a person's given name. In Spain and most Spanish-speaking countries, two last names or surnames are used. In Hungary, along with China, Korea (성씨), Japan and in many other East Asian countries, the family name is placed before a person's given name.

The western style of having both a family name (surname) and a given name (forename or "Christian" name) is far from universal. In many countries it is common for ordinary people to have only one name or mononym.