In some cultures, a surname, family name, or last name is the portion of one's personal name that

indicates their family, tribe or community.[1]

Practices vary by culture. The family name may be placed at either the start of a person's full name,
as the forename, or at the end; the number of surnames given to an individual also varies. As the
surname indicates genetic inheritance, all members of a family unit may have identical surnames or
there may be variations. It is common to see two or more words in a surname, such as in compound
surnames. Compound surnames can be composed of separate names, such as in
traditional Spanish culture, they can be hyphenated together, or may contain prefixes.
Using names has been documented in even the oldest historical records. Examples of surnames are
documented in the 11th century by the barons in England.[2] Surnames began as a way of identifying
a certain aspect of that individual, such as by trade, father's name, location of birth, or physical
features.[2] It was not until the 15th century that surnames were used to denote inheritance.[2]