surnaming
Surnaming is the practice of using and transmitting family names, or surnames, to identify individuals within a lineage. It encompasses the systems by which a surname is formed, inherited, and sometimes altered, as well as the social and legal practices surrounding name selection.
Most surnames derive from one of several common sources: patronymics or matronymics (based on a parent’s given
Historically, surname usage arose at different times in different regions, often becoming standardized only in the
Today, surnaming influences identity, inheritance, and migration. Surnames aid genealogical research and population studies, and they