Also 6 syr-, 6–9 sir-. [f. prec. Cf. OF. sournommer (mod.F. surnommer).] To give a surname to: chiefly pass.
1. trans. To give an additional name, title or epithet to (a person).
a. with descriptive adj., sb. or phr.
a. 1548. Hall, Chron., Hen. VI., 100 b. He gathered so muche treasure, that no man in maner had money but he, and so was he surnamed the riche Cardinall of Winchester.
1560. Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 59 b. That seing we professe the name of Christ, we may rightly chalenge that to our selues, that we may be surnamed Christians.
1588. Shaks., L. L. L., V. ii. 553. I Pompey am, Pompey surnam’d the big.
1601. Holland, Pliny, V. xxix. I. 108. The renowmed cittie Magnesia, surnamed, Vpon Mæander.
1607. R. Johnson (title), The Most Pleasant History of Tom a Lincolne,… the Red Rose Knight, who for his valour … was surnamed the Boast of England.
1634. Sir T. Herbert, Trav., 30. Tamberlaine (sirnamed the Scourge of God).
1672. Milton, P. R., II. 199. How hee sirnam’d of Africa dismiss’d … the fair Iberian maid.
1769. Robertson, Chas. V., XII. III. 454. His successor Cosmo, sirnamed the Great.
1807. G. Chalmers, Caledonia, I. III. vii. 396. Kenneth IV., The son of Duf, who was sirnamed Grim, from the strength of his body, rather than the force of his character.
1871. Smiles, Charac., i. (1876), 20. William of Orange, surnamed the Silent.
1908. [Miss Fowler], Betw. Trent & Ancholme, 73. We surnamed our young friend ‘Orpheus with his Flute.’
b. with a recognized proper name.
1539. Bible (Great), Acts x. 18. Symon which was syrnamed Peter.
1576. Gascoigne, Steele Gl., 490. Paulus he, (Æmilius surnamed).
1611. Bible, Isa. xliv. 5. Another shall subscribe with his hand vnto the Lord, and surname himselfe by the name of Israel.
1613. Purchas, Pilgrimage, I. xvi. 73. Antiochus his sonne, surnamed Epiphanes.
1756–7. trans. Keysler’s Trav. (1760), I. 64. The famous Switzer, Theophrastus Bompast, sirnamed Paracelsus.
1818. Cruise, Digest (ed. 2), V. 69. Roger, sirnamed Vacarius,… read public lectures at Oxford on the Roman law.
1868. Freeman, Norm. Conq., II. viii. 205. The commander of the district was Thurstan surnamed Goz.
2. To give such-and-such a surname to; to call (a person) by his surname or family name.
1512. Act 4 Hen. VIII., c. 9 § 1. By what soever name or names surname or surnames the same William be named or surnamed in the said acte.
1605. Verstegan, Dec. Intell., vi. (1628), 181. [They] began to surname themselues after such places as they properly possessed.
c. 1630. Risdon, Surv. Devon, § 60. Rockbeare … had … lords sirnamed thereof.
1682. Piers, Descr. W. Meath (1770), 108. Thus you have Mac Gowne surname himself Smith [marg. Irish now change their names into English].
† 3. To call by another or additional name; to attach another appellation or designation to; more widely, to designate, entitle. Obs.
1561. in Heath, Grocers’ Comp. (1869), 96. Evil pepper syrnamed gynger.
1599. Nashe, Lenten Stuffe, 35. The Scotish Iockies or Red-shanks (so surnamed of their immoderate raunching vp the red shanks or red herrings).
1601. Holland, Pliny, V. xxvii. I. 105. Seleucia upon the river Calicadmus, surnamed also Trachiotis.
1606. G. W[oodcocke], Hist. Ivstine, xx. 76. Al that part of Italy (sur-named the greater Greece).
1632. Lithgow, Trav., VII. 311. The great Pyramides, surnamed the Worlds wonders.
1671. Milton, P. R., IV. 279. All the schools Of Academics old and new, with those Sirnam’d Peripatetics.
1697. Potter, Antiq. Greece, I. viii. (1722), 31. The other Part of the Temple, belong’d to Minerva, sirnam’d Πολιὰς, i. e. Protectress of the City.
Hence † Surnamed ppl. a., having such-and-such a designation.
1659. Milton, Civil Power, Wks. 1851, V. 317. The papist … by the church,… understands the pope, the general councels prelatical only and the surnam’d fathers.
