Last name

Last name or surname is a part of a person's personal name that designates the family to which the person belongs. The use of last names varies by culture and region. In many cultures, the last name is usually inherited from one's parents and is shared among members of a family.

History

The use of last names has been traced back to ancient times. In many cultures, last names were originally derived from professions, places of residence, or personal characteristics. For example, in England, common last names such as "Smith" and "Baker" were derived from occupations, while names like "Hill" and "Fields" were derived from geographical features.

Cultural Variations

In different cultures, the placement and usage of last names can vary. For example, in many Western cultures, the last name is placed at the end of a person's full name, and a child usually inherits the father's last name. However, in Hungarian culture, the last name is placed before the first name. In Icelandic culture, last names are based on the father's or mother's first name, followed by "-son" or "-dóttir".

Legal Aspects

In many jurisdictions, a person has the legal right to change their last name, often upon marriage or divorce. The laws and regulations regarding name changes vary widely from country to country, and even within regions of the same country.

See Also

• Family name
• Given name
• Middle name
• Name change