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; the family-name meaning first appeared in 1375. Many dictionaries use "surname" as a synonym of "family name." Surnames are often influenced by common elements: the name of the person's father, the person's geographical origin, the person's occupation, or a descriptive nickname for the person. When they were created, they answered one of the following questions: Who is this per… (More on Surname)