A family name that is generally passed down from generation to generation (via males of the family in Western culture). Women, traditionally (but not quite so much these days) often adopt the surname of the man they marry.
In modern culture it's fine for a male to adopt the females surname (though not that common), for couples to hyphenate their existing surnames into a new surname eg. if mary jones marries john smith they may join their surnames to be jones-smith or... possibly, it's fine to just create a whole new name (also not that common). Most commonly it is fine for each person to keep their own surnames and then fight when the children come along as to whose surname the children will get.
In modern culture it's fine for a male to adopt the females surname (though not that common), for couples to hyphenate their existing surnames into a new surname eg. if mary jones marries john smith they may join their surnames to be jones-smith or... possibly, it's fine to just create a whole new name (also not that common). Most commonly it is fine for each person to keep their own surnames and then fight when the children come along as to whose surname the children will get.
by Em Wun March 9, 2005
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The act of adding a surname to the phone contact of an ex after breaking up with them. Forms part of closure as usually only the bf/gf would be surname-less in an address book.
"Have you definitely finished it with Kylie then?"
"Yeah, it's official. I surnamed her this morning."
"Yeah, it's official. I surnamed her this morning."
by sternboller February 12, 2012
An Irish surname going for years and years a joyce is loyal,true,courageous and hilariously funny , once you get talking to a joyce your bound to laugh
by Joyce surname January 20, 2021
The person in a family, traditionally a male member of the family, who is responsible or ABLE to carry on the family name. ie- Luke Cantone is the surnamer for "Cantone" in the USA, which is why we were pressuring his dad, John Cantone, to have another child, after having two girls, Julia and Charlotte Cantone. Surnamer was created by Doctor Ron Smolkin.
We needed a surnamer in the USA since every male Cantone had only female daughters so we put the pressure on John Cantone to have a third child, even though he had his hands full with his two daughters. In the end, John was thrilled to have a third child, especially since he had a boy, Luke Anthony Cantone, our surnamer in the USA.
by VirginiaCantoneTutoringNYC August 5, 2022
by Enlightened one2.0 December 27, 2022