German word

Familienname

Pronunciation

IPA/faˈmiːli̯ənˌnaːmə/

Meaning

  • masculine nounlast name

Example

Ich kenne seinen Familiennamen nicht.

I don't know his last name.

Illustration for Familienname (last name)

More examples

Viele Länder geben Kindern den Familiennamen des Vaters.

Many countries give children their father's last name.

Core concept

A name that links a person to a family line and is passed through generations.

Common phrases

  • den Familiennamen weitergeben

    pass on the last name

  • unter dem Familiennamen bekannt sein

    be known by the last name

  • den Familiennamen übernehmen

    take the last name

Similar words

Nachname: A formal surname used by a family or in official records.
Vorname: A personal name given to distinguish one person from another.
Ehename: A surname adopted by one spouse or both after marriage.
Geburtsname: The original surname given at birth, which may later change.

Definition in German

Der Nachname einer Person, der die Zugehörigkeit zu einer Familie anzeigt und meist vererbt wird.

Word origin

Familienname is a German compound of Familie, meaning family, and Name, meaning name.

Usage tips

  • Familienname is masculine, and its plural is Familiennamen; the accusative singular also ends in -n, as in seinen Familiennamen.

Opposites

Word lists with this word