Forms: α. 4–6 sorname, (4 surnome, Sc. swrname, suorname, -nome, 5 surnam, surename, 6 sur(r)e name, Sc. sourname, surnawm, 7–8 sur-name), 4– surname. β. 4–5 sire name, sirename, (6 sirnome, syrname, syr name), 6–8 sir-name, 6–9 sirname (8 sir name). [f. SUR- + NAME sb., after AF., OF. surnum, sornom: see SURNOUN.
The spellings sirname, sirename are due to etymologizing alteration on SIR sb., SIRE sb., quasi ‘father’s name.’]
1. A name, title or epithet added to a person’s name or names, esp. one derived from his birthplace or from some quality or achievement. Obs. or arch.
c. 1330. Arth. & Merl., 5488 (Kölbing). Pe .xxxix. Osoman, cert, His surname was: hardi of hert.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, vii. (Jacobus Minor), 15. Þis haly manne [sc. James the Less], þat foure swrnamys had.
c. 1375. Cursor M., 15218 (Fairf.). Ivdas of þa xij. was an his surnome scariot hiȝt.
c. 1400. Maundev. (1839), 104. Fro thens gon men to Nazarethe, of the whiche oure lord berethe the surname.
1526. Tindale, Acts i. 23. Barsabas (whose syrname was Iustus).
1577–87. Holinshed, Chron., I. 58/2. Which sitting still in Rome had triumphs and surnames appointed them of such nations as their capteins did vanquish.
1589. R. Harvey, Pl. Perc. (1860), 13. My sirnome is Peace-Maker one that is but poorely regarded in England.
1607. Shaks., Cor., V. iii. 170. To his sur-name Coriolanus longs more pride Then pitty to our Prayers.
1683. Kennett, trans. Erasm. on Folly, 118. If they did but practice their Sirname of Most Holy.
1702. C. Mather, Magn. Chr., III. II. i. (1852), 355. They gave Janus the sir-name of Pater.
1837. Carlyle, Fr. Rev., I. I. i. President Hénault, remarking on royal Surnames of Honour [etc.].
1842. Tennyson, St. Sim. Styl., 159. I, Simeon of the pillar, by surname Stylites.
† b. A second, or an alternative, name or title given to a person, place, edifice, etc. Obs.
1388. Wyclif, Gen. xxxv. 6. Therfor Jacob cam to Lusa,… bi sire name Bethel. Ibid. (1388), Ecclus. xlvii. 19. In the name of the Lord, to whom the surname [1382 toname] is God of Israel.
a. 1500[?]. Chester Pl. (1906), 16. The church is called St. Mary The surname Ara Cœli.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, VIII. x. 12. The Grekis ancyane, Quhilk clepit bene to surname Pelasgane.
1531. Elyot, Gov., II. iv. Nobilitie, whiche is the commendation, and as it were, the surname of vertue.
1567. Fenton, Trag. Disc., ii. (1898), I. 88. With what title or sorname of constancy the fond philosophers of olde time do baptyse those accions of meare fury.
1632. Lithgow, Trav., IV. 150. They will not be content with the bare name of Images, but they impose a surname or epithite of sanctity, tearming them holy Images.
1638–56. Cowley, Davideis, IV. Note 1. I have before declared that Baal was the Sun, and Baal Peor, a sirname, from a particular place of his worship.
1646. Lluelyn, Men-Miracles, etc. 66. Peter is Sirname to his Salt [sc. saltpetre].
2. The name that a person bears in common with the other members of his family, as distinguished from his Christian name; a family name.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, III. 99. Twa brethir … Thar surname wes Makyne-drosser; That is al-so mekill to say her As the durwarth sonnys.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. IV. 369. Þat is noȝt reisonable … to refusy my syres sorname [v.rr. surname, sirename].
1465. Irish Act 5 Edw. IV., c. 16. Qe chescun irroys home … preigne a luy surname englois de vne vile come Sutton Chestr … ou color come White Blake.
1565. Child-Marriages, 65. Sir Edmound (what his syrname was, this deponent knoweth not), a priest that syrved at Balderston Chappell.
1595. Maunsell, Catal., 3. They make their Alphabet by the Christen name, I by the Sir name.
1605. Camden, Rem. (1637), 48. In late yeares Sirnames have beene given for Christian names among us, and no where else in Christendome.
1691. Wood, Ath. Oxon., I. 224. I find seven of his Sirname to be Students in the said College.
1749. Fielding, Tom Jones, VII. xii. But the lieutenant … was not contented with Sophia only. He said he must have her sir-name.
1818. Hallam, Mid. Ages (1819), I. ii. II. 205. Two innovations devised in the eleventh and twelfth centuries; the adoption of sirnames, and of armorial bearings.
1875. W. S. Hayward, Love agst. World, 72. I shall not sign my surname.
1876. Freeman, Norm. Conq., V. xxv. 563. The Norman Conquest … brought with it the novelty of family nomenclature, that is to say, the use of hereditary surnames.
b. transf., esp. COGNOMEN 1 (a), e.g., Publius Cornelius Scipio.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, xxxvi. (Baptista), 928. Þe thred herrod had alsua til his suornome agrippa.
1481. Caxton, Godfrey, xxxiv. 71. In this tyme was Emperour a greke,… and was named alexes, and to his surname Conius [i.e., Alexius Comnenus I.].
1598. Grenewey, Tacitus, Ann., II. vii. (1622), 42. That none of the Scribonian familie should take vpon him the surname of Drusus.
1654. trans. Martini’s Conq. China, 106. Adding to his name (as usually they do) the Sirname of Pingsi.
1657. North’s Plutarch, Note 91. Albus was the sirname of the Posthumians.
† 3. A family, clan. Sc. Obs.
1455. in Charters &c. Edinb. (1871), 79. The surnam and nerrest of blude to the said Williame.
1508. Kennedie, Flyting w. Dunbar, 416. Hang Dunbar, Quarter and draw, and mak that surname thin.
1553–4. Reg. Privy Council Scot., I. 152. Thame, their kyn, freyndis, servandis, allya, assisteris and surname. Ibid. (1565), 361. To resset ony rebellis and surname of Clangregour.
