View source for Patronymic

{{Short description|Component of a personal name based on the given name of one's male ancestor}}
{{Redirect|Patronymic suffix|such suffixes in English-language usage specifically|Suffix (name)#Generational titles}}
{{Other uses}}
{{More citations needed|date=December 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2022}}
A '''patronymic''', or '''patronym''', is a component of a [[personal name]] based on the [[given name]] of one's father, grandfather (more specifically an '''avonymic'''),<ref>Willy van Langendonck. 2007. ''Theory and Typology of Proper Names''. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter, p. 275.</ref><ref>Eichler, Ernst et al. (eds.). 1995. ''Namenforschung''. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter, p. 488.</ref> or an earlier male ancestor. It is the male equivalent of a [[matronymic]].

Patronymics are used, by custom or official policy, in many countries worldwide, although elsewhere their use has been replaced by or transformed into [[patronymic surname]]s. Examples of such transformations include common English surnames such as [[Johnson (surname)|Johnson]] (son of John).

==Origins of terms==
The usual noun and adjective in English is ''patronymic'', but as a noun this exists in [[free variation]] alongside ''patronym''.{{Efn|The ''[[Oxford English Dictionary]]'' records the corresponding ''metronymic'' and ''metronym'', alongside ''matronymic'' but not, however, ''matronym''.}} The first part of the word ''patronym'' comes from [[Greek language|Greek]] πατήρ ''patēr'' '[[father]]' (<small>[[Genitive case|GEN]]</small> πατρός ''patros'' whence the [[combining form]] πατρο- ''patro''-);<ref>{{LSJ|path/r|πατήρ|ref}}.</ref> the second part comes from Greek ὄνυμα ''onyma'', a variant form of ὄνομα ''onoma'' 'name'.<ref>{{LSJ|o)/noma|ὄνομα|shortref}}.</ref> In the form ''patronymic'', this stands with the addition of the suffix [[wikt:-ικός|-ικός]] (''-ikos''), which was originally used to form adjectives with the sense 'pertaining to' (thus 'pertaining to the father's name'). These forms are attested in [[Hellenistic Greek]] as πατρώνυμος (''patrōnymos'') and πατρωνυμικός (''patrōnymikos'').<ref>{{LSJ|patrw/numos|πατρώνυμος}}, {{LSJ|patrwnumiko/s|πατρωνυμικός|shortref}}.</ref> The form ''patronym'', first attested in English in 1834, was borrowed into English from French ''patronyme'', which had previously borrowed the word directly from Greek. ''Patronymic'', first attested in English in 1612, has a more complex history. Both Greek words had entered Latin, and, from Latin, French. The English form ''patronymic'' was borrowed through the mutual influence of French and Latin on English.<ref>"patronym, n."; "patronymic, n. and adj.", ''OED Online'' (3rd edition). March 2018. Oxford University Press.</ref>

==History==
{{Unreferenced section|date=December 2013}}
In many areas around the world, patronyms predate the use of [[family name]]s. Family names in many [[Celtic languages|Celtic]], [[Germanic languages|Germanic]], [[Iberian Peninsula|Iberian]], [[Georgian language|Georgian]], [[Armenian language|Armenian]] and [[Slavic languages|Slavic]] languages originate from patronyms, e.g. [[Wilson (surname)|Wilson]] (son of [[William (name)|William]]), [[FitzGerald (surname)|FitzGerald]] (son of [[Gerald]]), [[Powell (surname)|Powell]] (from "ap [[Hywel]]"), [[Fernández]] (son of [[Fernando]]), [[Rodríguez (surname)|Rodríguez]] (son of [[Rodrigo]]), [[Andersson (surname)|Andersson]] or [[Andersen]] (son of [[Anders]], [[Scandinavian languages|Scandinavian]] form of [[Andrew (given name)|Andrew]]), [[Carlsen (name)|Carlsen]] (son of [[Carl (name)|Carl]]), [[Ilyin]] (of [[Ilya]]), [[Petrov (surname)|Petrov]] (of [[Peter (given name)|Peter]]), [[Grigorovich]] (son of [[Grigory]], Russian form of [[Gregory (given name)|Gregory]]), [[Stefanović]] (son of [[Stefan (given name)|Stefan]], little Stefan), [[MacAllister]] (from "mac Alistair", meaning son of [[Alistair]], anglicized Scottish form of [[Alexander]]) and [[O'Conor]] (from "Ó Conchobhair", meaning grandson/descendant of [[Conchobhar]]). Other cultures which formerly used patronyms have switched to the more widespread style of passing the father's last name to the children (and wife) as their own.
In [[Iceland]], [[Icelandic name|family names]] are unusual; Icelandic law favours the use of patronyms (and more recently, matronyms) over family names.

==Historical and current use==
{{Refimprove section|date=December 2013}}

===Africa===
Traditionally Muslim and non-Arabic speaking African people, such as [[Hausa people|Hausa]] and [[Fulani]] people, usually (with some exceptions) follow the Arab naming pattern.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Muhammad |first=Dikko |date=2023-10-01 |title=Child naming and the need for cultural decolonization initiatives Among the Hausa in Northern Nigeria |journal=Curriculum Perspectives |language=en |volume=43 |issue=1 |pages=23–31 |doi=10.1007/s41297-023-00185-z |issn=2367-1793|doi-access=free }}</ref> The word or phrase meaning "son of" is, however, omitted. As such, Mohamed son of Ibrahim son of Ahmed is "Mohamed Ibrahim Ahmed", and Mohamed Ibrahim Ahmed's son Ali is "Ali Mohamed Ibrahim".

====Ethiopia and Eritrea====
{{Main|Naming conventions in Ethiopia and Eritrea}}
The naming convention used in Eritrea and Ethiopia does not have family names and surnames. A person is referred to by a single name: this is always the person's given name. Ethiopians and Eritreans use a naming pattern very similar to the Arab naming pattern, but with one exception: no suffix or prefix. The full name of a person is usually two but officially registered with three names. The person's given name comes first, followed by their father's given name and (optionally, for official purposes) their grandfather's name last. For example, a person named Lemlem Mengesha Abraha has Lemlem as her given name, Mengesha (from her father's name) Abraha (grandfather's name). The grandfather's name is usually only added in official documents and not used in everyday life. The father's name is not considered a middle name but a last name, without it being a family name or surname. Women do not take their husband's last name. They continue to go independently by their given name, followed by their father's name, and then their grandfather's name, even after marriage. In both Ethiopia and Eritrea, a person is always addressed by their first name; for example Mrs. Lemlem or Dr. Lemlem.

====Kenya====
Some Kenyan communities used patronyms. As of 2010, the practice has largely dropped off with the use of just the father's last name as a surname.
[[Kalenjin language|Kalenjin]] use 'arap' meaning 'son of'; 
[[Gikuyu language|Kikuyu]] used 'wa' meaning 'of'. Because of polygamy, matronyms were also used and 'wa' used to identify which wife the child was born of; 
[[Maasai language|Maasai]] use 'ole' meaning 'son of'; 
[[Meru language|Meru]] use 'mto' abbreviated M' thus son of Mkindia would be M'Mkindia, pronounced Mto Mkindia.

====Mozambique====
Patronymic naming is very common in parts of Mozambique. Although the practice is not universal, patronymic naming has been documented in the Zambezia province.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Christensen |first1=Preston |last2=Hallen |first2=Cynthia |date=5 February 2016 |title=My Father's Name: A Study of Patronymic Naming in Mozambique |url=http://jur.byu.edu/?p=20217 |journal=Journal of Undergraduate Research |publisher=[[Brigham Young University]]}}</ref>

====Nigeria====
Although not as prominent as during the pre-colonial period, some Nigerians (particularly in the North) continue using patronymics — either as a middle name, as the first part of a hyphenated surname, or as a surname. An example of the use of patronymic middle names would be a man named Adamu Abdulkabiru Jibril — whereby "Adamu" would be his given first name, "Abdulkabiru" would be his father's given name as a patronymic middle name, and "Jibril" would be his hereditary family surname. Other people hyphenate their surname to include a patronymic, in which case the example would be named Adamu Abdulkabiru-Jibril with "Abdulkabiru-Jibril" acting as his surname. Using patronymics as the sole surname is also possible, with the example being named Adamu Abdulkabiru with "Abdulkabiru" acting as his surname.{{citation needed|date=June 2020}}

====Somalia====
Somalis use their paternal grandfather's given name as their legal surname for documentation purposes. They also use the term "ina" or "iña" meaning "the son of" or "the daughter of," which is similar to other African and Arab naming patterns. For example, the name "Ahmed Mohamed Ali Farah" means "Ahmed son of Mohamed son of Ali son of Farah." When stating one's lineage, one will say "Ahmed ina Mohamed" (meaning Ahmed, the son of Mohamed). To identify themselves and the sub-clan they belong to, Somalis memorize their long lineage back to a common ancestor. Women never adopt their husband's patronym but keep their own for life.

====South Africa====
Among the [[Zulu people|Zulu]], patronymics were used in the pre-colonial era. The prefix "ka" was attached to the father's name, for example [[Shaka kaSenzangakhona]] means Shaka son of Senzangakhona. The practice disappeared from everyday use with the introduction of the European-style surname system but still remains part of traditional cultural practices, particularly in the case of chieftains and royalty where reciting lineages forms a part of many ceremonial occasions.

===East Asia===
{{Refimprove section|date=December 2013}}

====Taiwanese Aborigines====
[[Atayal people]]'s given names are followed by the name of their father; both son and daughter use patronymics. 
[[Amis people]]'s sons' given names are also followed by their father's name, while daughters' given names are followed by their mother's name. By contrast, the [[Seediq people|Seediqs]] often get to choose which parent's name goes after their own.

====Mongolia====
[[Mongol people]]'s names are preceded by the name of their father and possessive marker; both son and daughter are patronymics.

====China====
Many indigenous ethnic groups in [[Yunnan]], such as [[Yi people|Yi]], [[Hani people|Hani]], [[Jingpo people|Jingpo]], [[Jino people|Jino]], [[Derung people|Derung]], [[Nu people|Nu]], [[Wa people|Wa]], [[Hmong people|Hmong]] and [[Yao people|Yao]], use a son-father patronymic naming system ({{ill|亲子连名制|zh|vertical-align=sup}}).<ref>{{cite web | title = 父子连名与家支制度 | website = 中国科学院科普云平台| url = http://www.kepu.net.cn/gb/civilization/nation/feeling/fee5308.html |language=Chinese }}</ref> Historically, [[Naxi people|Naxi]] and [[Bai people|Bai]] have also used the patronymic system.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.zgbk.com/ecph/words?SiteID=1&ID=83839&SubID=59112 | title = 父子连名制 | website = 中国大百科全书 |language=Chinese }}</ref> The last one or two syllables of the father's name transfers to become the first one or two syllables of the son's name. The last one or two syllables of the son's name is then used as the first one or two syllables of the grandson's name. The naming tradition is closely tied to [[Tibeto-Burman languages|Tibeto-Burman]] traditions.<ref>{{cite book |author= 罗常培 |author-link=Luo Changpei |date= 2016 |chapter= 附录一 论藏缅族的父子连名制 |url= |title = 语言与文化 |pages= |publisher=北京出版社 |doi= |access-date= |isbn = 9787200120684 |oclc=1265995427 |language=Chinese |quote= }}</ref>

This system can be seen in the names of Nanzhao, Dali and Lijiang rulers.

[[Nanzhao]] kings: Xinuluo (細奴邏)－''Luo''sheng (邏盛)－''Sheng''luopi (盛邏皮)－[[Piluoge|''Pi''luoge]] (皮邏閣)－''Ge''luofeng (閣邏鳳)－''Feng''jiayi (鳳迦異)－''Yi''mouxun (異牟尋)－''Xun''gequan (尋閣勸)－''Quan''longsheng (勸龍晟)

[[Dali Kingdom|Dali]] kings: Duan Zhixiang (段智祥)－Duan ''Xiang''xing (段祥興)－Duan ''Xing''zhi (段興智)

Regents of [[Dali Kingdom]]: [[Gao Shengtai]] (高升泰)－Gao ''Tai''ming (高泰明)－Gao ''Ming''shun (高明順)－Gao ''Shun''zhen (高順貞)－Gao ''Zhen''shou (高貞壽)－Gao ''Shou''chang (高壽昌)

[[Chiefdom of Lijiang|Lijiang chief]]s: A-ts'ung A-liang (阿琮阿良)－''A-liang'' A-hu (阿良阿胡)－''A-hu'' A-lieh (阿胡阿烈)－''A-lieh'' A-chia (阿烈阿甲)－''A-chia'' A-te (阿甲阿得)－''A-te'' A-ch'u (阿得阿初)－''A-ch'u'' A-t'u (阿初阿土)－''A-t'u'' A-ti (阿土阿地)－''A-ti'' A-hsi (阿地阿習)－''A-hsi'' A-ya (阿習阿牙)－''A-ya'' A-ch'iu (阿牙阿秋)－''A-ch'iu'' A-kung (阿秋阿公)－''A-kung'' A-mu (阿公阿目)－''A-mu'' A-tu (阿目阿都)－''A-tu'' A-sheng (阿都阿勝)－[[Mu Qing (chieftain)|''A-sheng'' A-chai]] (阿勝阿宅)－[[Mu Zeng|''A-chai'' A-ssu]] (阿宅阿寺)－''A-ssu'' A-ch'un (阿寺阿春)－''A-ch'un'' A-su (阿春阿俗)－''A-su'' A-wei (阿俗阿胃)－''A-wei'' A-hui (阿胃阿揮)－''A-hui'' A-chu (阿揮阿住)

===South Asia===
====India====
{{Refimprove section|date=December 2017}}
A patronymic is common in parts of [[India]]. For example, if a father is named Ramprasad Sachin Pandey (a masculine name), he might name his son Sunil Ramprasad Pandey, who in turn might name his son Sanjeev Sunil Pandey. As a result, unlike surnames, patronymics will not pass down through many generations.

In [[Tamil Nadu]] and some parts of [[Kerala]] and [[South Karnataka]], patronymy is predominant. This is a significant departure from the rest of the country where caste names are mostly employed as surnames. This came into common use during the 1950s and 1960s when the Dravidian movement campaigned against the use of one's caste as part of the name.

However, rather than using the father's full name, only the first letter, popularly known as the initial, is prefixed to the given name. For example, if a person's given name is ''Nikhilesh'' and his father's ''Rajaraman'', then the full name is ''R. Nikhilesh'' and is seldom expanded, even in official records. Only if absolutely necessary, such as when applying for an Indian passport, which does not usually allow initials, is the initial expanded and the name rendered in reverse order as "Nikhilesh Rajaraman" or sometime in the original order as "Rajaraman Nikhilesh". Some families follow the tradition of retaining the name of the hometown, the grandfather's name, or both as initials. The celebrated Indian English novelist [[R. K. Narayan]]'s name at birth was Rasipuram Krishnaswami Ayyar Narayanaswami, which was shortened at the behest of his writer friend [[Graham Greene]]. Rasipuram is a [[toponym]], and Krishnaswami Ayyar is a patronym.

In Tamil Nadu, the patronymic naming convention diverges significantly from other regions of India, influenced by a social justice movement aimed at eliminating [[Caste|caste-based discrimination]]. Traditionally, many Indian states used patronyms or surnames to reflect familial heritage and caste, but Tamil Nadu's system intentionally disrupts this structure.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-12-01 |title=Discover The Origins And Meanings Of Tamil Last Names |url=https://namesflare.com/discover-the-origins-and-meanings-of-tamil-last-names/ |access-date=2024-09-08 |language=en-US}}</ref>

In this system, individuals often use their father's given name as an initial or surname. For example, "R. Karthik" signifies Karthik, son of Rajesh, with "R" representing his father's name. Unlike other Indian states, where the patronym serves as a marker of lineage or [[social status]], Tamil Nadu's system allows for the patronym to change with each generation, ensuring that no permanent surname is passed down. This shift reflects the state's broader efforts to dismantle [[Periyar and the eradication of caste|caste markers]] in society, a key initiative of the [[Dravidian movement]] led by figures like [[Periyar|Periyar E.V. Ramasamy]] in the 20th century.

However, the use of initials and surnames in Tamil Nadu remains flexible, leaving it to the individual's discretion. For instance, the late Chief Minister [[M. Karunanidhi]] preferred to be addressed as M. Karunanidhi, where "M" stood for his father, Muthuvel's, name. His son, [[M. K. Stalin]], incorporates both his father's and grandfather's names, while Stalin's son chooses to go by [[Udhayanidhi Stalin]], using his father's name as his surname rather than as an initial.

This flexibility extends beyond political figures. In sports, cricketer [[Ravichandran Ashwin]], whose father's name is Ravichandran, prefers to be known as "R. Ashwin" or "[[Ravichandran Ashwin]]." This choice is particularly relevant in sports commentary, where players are often referred to by their surnames. Since it would be incorrect to call him by his father's name alone, Ashwin uses his given name in conjunction with his father's name.

There is also a growing trend in Tamil Nadu to expand initials in ways that align with how names sound in the Tamil language. For example, some choose to expand names phonetically, such as "[[Pala. Karuppiah]]" instead of "P. Karuppiah," or "[[Pa. Ranjith]]" rather than "P. Ranjith," to reflect a closer approximation of the name in Tamil.

In the academic and professional world, scientists like [[Mylswamy Annadurai|M. Annadurai]] expand their names to "Mayilsami Annadurai," though it would be inappropriate to address him by his father's name, Mayilsami. Instead, he is referred to by his given name, Annadurai, underscoring the unique flexibility and personalization that Tamil Nadu's naming conventions allow.

This evolution in Tamil naming practices highlights both the influence of social justice reforms and the cultural adaptability within the state. While Tamil Nadu has largely moved away from caste-based surnames, the naming system retains a focus on individual identity, free from rigid lineage-based structures, distinguishing it from other Indian states.

While the usage of caste names as surnames/last names is discouraged (but not banned) in Tamil Nadu, such usage by out-of-state people is greeted with indifference. So, Lakshmi Menon, Shilpa Shetty, etc. are referred by their preferred names which include their caste names. Likewise, old Tamil names with the caste in them are also fully used while referring to them such as [[Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar|Pasumpoan Muthuramalinga Thevar]], [[U. V. Swaminatha Iyer|U.Ve. Swaminatha Iyer]], [[V. O. Chidambaram Pillai|V.O Chidambaram Pillai]] etc.

To further reinforce Tamil Nadu's efforts in promoting social equality through its naming conventions, the Madras High Court recently directed the removal of community and caste names from government school names across the state. This move aligns with the state's long-standing policies to reduce caste-based distinctions in public life, including naming practices. The court's decision reflects the state's dedication to social justice by eliminating caste markers, particularly in institutions that shape young minds. This legal step ensures that the caste system is not perpetuated through the education system, aligning with the larger movement that has shaped Tamil Nadu's approach to names and identity over the past century.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2024-07-27 |title=Madras High Court directs removal of community, caste names from government schools in Tamil Nadu |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/education/news/madras-high-court-directs-removal-of-community-caste-names-from-government-schools-in-tamil-nadu/articleshow/112066186.cms#:~:text=June%20Admit%20Card-,Madras%20High%20Court%20directs%20removal%20of%20community,%20caste%20names,government%20schools%20in%20Tamil%20Nadu&text=The%20Madras%20High%20Court%20instructed,school%20names%20across%20the%20state. |access-date=2024-09-08 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref>

This final ruling serves as an important reminder of the state's commitment to dismantling caste-based identity and promoting a more egalitarian social structure, further cementing Tamil Nadu's unique position in its approach to names, identity, and social justice.

In Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, the naming pattern is a family name, given name and caste name in that order, but sometimes the caste name is omitted. If a name appears like Alugupally Sudhir Reddy, Alugupally is the family name, Sudhir is the given name and Reddy is the caste name. If you find a name like Gorle Sunil Kumar, Gorle is the family name, and Sunil Kumar the given name. Here, the caste name is omitted. Of late, some people are writing their names in the order of given name, caste name, and family name. Sometimes, the caste name is omitted here too. It can be seen in names like Satyanarayana Bandi, where Satyanarayana is the given name, and Bandi the family name.

In [[Maharashtra]], [[Karnataka]],[[Sindhi Hindus|Sindh]] and [[Gujarat]], a very common convention among the Hindu communities is to have the patronymic as the middle name. Examples:

* First Deputy Prime Minister and first Home Minister [[Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel]]'s full name is Vallabhbhai Jhaverbhai Patel, where Jhaverbhai is his father's given name.
* Cricketer [[Sachin Tendulkar]]'s full name is Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar, where Ramesh is his father's given name.
* Cricketer [[Sunil Gavaskar]]'s full name is Sunil Manohar Gavaskar, where Manohar is his father's given name. Sunil Gavaskar's son [[Rohan Gavaskar]] would be Rohan Sunil Gavaskar, and so on.
* India's 15th Prime Minister [[Narendra Modi]] famously took the oath of office as the Prime Minister of India as Narendra Damodardas Modi, wherein Damodardas is his father's given name. He prefers to write his full name, including his father's name as his middle name.

This system works for both boys and girls, except that after marriage, a woman takes her husband's given name as her middle name – her new middle name is no longer a patronymic. [[Russian name|East Slavic naming customs]] are similar, except that the suffix ''-yevich'', ''-yevna'', or something similar is used in a Russian language patronymic.

Indians of the [[Muslim]] [[Isma'ili]] [[Fiqh|sect]] also have patronymic middle names that use the father's first name and the grandfather's first name plus a family name. Someone called "Ramazan Rahim Ali Manji" might call his son "Karim Ramazan Rahim Manji" and his granddaughter might be called "Zahra Karim Ramazan Manji".

=====Indian diaspora=====
Indians in Singapore and Malaysia, particularly those of Tamil descent, often continue the patronymic tradition. This entails having a single given name, followed by son/daughter of, followed by their father's name.

====Pashtuns====
{{Main|Zai (suffix)}}

Pashtuns have a -zai or -zay suffix meaning "son of", with tribe names being formed over it.

===Southeast Asia===
In [[Malaysia]], Singapore and [[Brunei]], ethnic [[Malays (ethnic group)|Malays]] generally follow the Arabic patronymic naming system of ''given name'' + bin/binti or son of/daughter of (often abbreviated SO/DO) + ''father's name''. Non-Muslim indigenous Sarawakians use the "anak" in place of bin/binti or SO/DO, "anak" being the Malay word for "child", while indigenous Sabahans may use "bin" or "binti". However, not all Malays use patronymics, in Thailand they have adopted surnames, while in Indonesia they do not usually have either. [[Tamil Malaysians]] have this naming system, but they use ''a/l'' (''anak lelaki'') and ''a/p'' (''anak perempuan'') instead, and in some cases, patronymics may be placed first and abbreviated like Indian counterparts.

[[Singaporean Indians]] use the abbreviations s/o (son of) or d/o (daughter of), while [[Malaysian Indians]] typically use the respective [[Bahasa Malaysia|Malay]] variations "anak lelaki" (abbreviated ''a/l'') or "anak perempuan" (abbreviated ''a/p''). In some cases, individuals may opt to omit the patronymic indicator and abbreviate the patronymic for ease of usage. For example, a former deputy minister of Malaysia Pathmanaban a/l Kunjamboo was more commonly referred to as [[K. Pathmanaban]] and veteran Singaporean politicians Shanmugam Kasiviswanathan and Suppiah Dhanabalan went by [[K. Shanmugam]] and [[S. Dhanabalan]] respectively. The individual may opt not to include "son of" or "daughter of" in their legal name, as in the case of Shanmugam and Dhanabalan.

In [[Brunei]], the ruling family of the monarch uses ''given name'' + ''ibni'' + ''father's name'' instead of using bin/binti.

In Indonesia, there are a number of ethnic groups with different naming systems. The [[Batak people|Batak]] of [[North Sumatra]] (Sumatra Utara) give every child the family's name. Sometimes the family's name is prefixed by Huta-, Batu-, etc., but most use Si-, such as Sitanggang, Sihombing, Sibutar-butar, Sinaga, or Sitohang. The family's name is given from the father's family. For example, if the father's name is Boggi Sinaga who married Moetia Siregar then all children will be given the family's name of Sinaga.

In Sunda, a similar cultural rule is used to that of the Batak. The family's name for [[Sunda language|Sunda]] is -Wijaya, but that is not true for all [[Sundanese people|Sundanese]] families.

===West Asia===

==== Armenian ====
{{main|Armenian surnames}}
{{Unreferenced section|date=December 2013}}
The use of patronymics was introduced in Armenia by Russians during the times of the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union. Before that period, the use of patronymics was very limited. Patronymics are usually formed by the addition of "i" ("of", pronounced as ''ee'') to the father's name, e.g. if the father's name is "Armen", the corresponding patronymic would be "Armeni" (of Armen). The Russified version of the same patronymic would be "Armenovich" for males and "Armenovna" for females. After Armenia regained its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 there was a massive decline in the use of Russified patronymics; nowadays few Armenians use patronymics outside of official contexts.

Many Armenian surnames were once patronymics first used by distant ancestors or clan founders. These are characterized by the suffix "-ian" in Western Armenian, often transliterated as "-yan" in Eastern Armenian. These are appended to the given name, i.e. Kardash'''ian''', Asdvadzadour'''ian''', Tank'''ian''', Hagop'''ian''', Khachadour'''ian''', Mardiros'''ian''', Bedros'''ian''', Sarkiss'''ian''', etc. Note that the suffix "-ian" was also appended to trades, as in Adakhtsakordz'''ian''' (issued from the carpenter), Chal'''ian''' (issued from the candlemaker), Darbin'''ian''' (issued from the smith).

Of particular note are the surnames of the children of married priests, or {{lang|hy|kahanas|italic=no}}. Though not as common nowadays, it was customary for a long time for these children (particularly the sons) to change their last names to the name-in-religion of their father. For example, the son of Ter (Reverend) Bartev would change his last name to Ter Bartevian.

==== Azerbaijani ====
{{Unreferenced section|date=December 2013}}
In [[Azerbaijani language|Azeri]], patronymics are formed through ''[[:wikt:oğul|-oğlu]]'' (sometimes transliterated as ''ogly'') for males and ''[[:wikt:qız|qızı]]'' (often transliterated as ''gizi'' or ''kizi'') for females. Before the late 19th–early 20th century, patronymics were used as an essential part of a person's full name, i.e. ''Sərdar İlyas oğlu'' ("Sardar, son of Ilyas") and ''Mina Nebi qızı'' ("Mina, daughter of Nabi"), since surnames were mostly non-existent before [[Sovietization]] (with the exception of the upper and some middle-class families). After surnames were commonly adopted in [[Azerbaijan]] in the 1920s, patronymics still remained parts of full names, i.e. ''Sardar Ilyas oğlu Aliyev'' ("Sardar Aliyev, son of Ilyas"). Nowadays in Azerbaijan, patronymics sometimes replace surnames in unofficial use. Normally in such case, they are spelled as one word (i.e. ''Eldar Mammadoğlu'', ''Sabina Yusifqızı''). Many Azeri surnames are also derived from Persian-style patronymics ending in ''-zadeh'' (''Kazimzadeh'', ''Mehdizadeh'', etc.). They are found among both Caucasian and Iranian Azeris. However, unlike the former, Azeris in Iran do not generally use patronymics in ''oglu'' / ''qizi''. Azeri patronymics are not to be confused with [[Turkish language|Turkish]] surnames in ''-oğlu'' and [[Greek language|Greek]] surnames in -ογλού (''-oglou''), which do not have specific female versions and do not reflect names of fathers.

====Semitic cultures====
A common feature of historical Semitic names is use of a patronymic system. Since ancient times, men and women have been named using this system. This was not limited to any certain region or religion. It was only in the 17th and 18th centuries when laws were put in place in European nations demanded that those of Semitic descent abandoned the patronymic naming scheme in favor of consistent legal surnames. It was only after these laws were ratified that most of the Jews and Muslims in these nations received surnames.

===== Arabic =====
{{See also|Arabic name#Nasab}}
In Arabic, the word {{Transliteration|ar|ibn}} ({{lang|ar|ابن}} or {{lang|ar|بن}}: {{Transliteration|ar|bin}}, {{Transliteration|ar|ben}} and sometimes {{Transliteration|ar|ibni}} and {{Transliteration|ar|ibnu}} to show the [[Arabic nouns and adjectives#Case|grammatical case]] of the noun) is the equivalent of the "-son" suffix discussed above, and {{Transliteration|ar|[[Wiktionary:bint|bint]]}} ({{lang|ar|بنت}}) means "daughter of". Thus, for example, {{Transliteration|ar|Ali ibn ʿAmr}} means "Ali son of ʿAmr". In Classical Arabic, the word {{Transliteration|ar|ibn}} is written as {{Transliteration|ar|bn}} between two names, since the case ending of the first name then supplies a vowel. {{Transliteration|ar|Ibn}} is often written as {{Transliteration|ar|b.}}, and {{Transliteration|ar|bint}} as {{Transliteration|ar|bt.}}, in name formulas [[Romanization of Arabic|rendered from Arabic into Roman characters]]. Thus Hisham ibn al-Kalbi is alternatively written as {{Transliteration|ar|Hisham b. al-Kalbi}}. However, the pronunciation {{Transliteration|ar|bin}} is dialectal and has nothing to do with either the spelling or pronunciation in Classical Arabic. The word {{Transliteration|ar|Abu}} ({{Transliteration|ar|Aba}} or {{Transliteration|ar|Abi}} in different grammatical cases) means "father of", so {{Transliteration|ar|Abu ʿAli}} is another name for {{Transliteration|ar|ʿAmr}}.
In [[Northwest Africa]], the patronymic is romanized as {{Transliteration|ar|ben}}, reflecting [[Maghrebi Arabic|local pronunciation]]. See for example {{Transliteration|arq|[[Ahmed Ben Bella]]}} ({{lang|arq|أحمد بن بلّة|rtl=yes}}) and ''[[Zine El Abidine Ben Ali|Ben Ali]]'' ({{lang|arq|بن علي|rtl=yes}}).

In medieval times, an [[Illegitimacy|illegitimate child]] of unknown parentage would sometimes be termed {{Transliteration|ar|ibn Abihi}}, "son of his father" (notably [[Ziyad ibn Abihi]].) In the [[Qur'an]], Jesus ([[Islamic view of Jesus|Isa]] in Arabic) is consistently termed {{Transliteration|ar|Isa ibn Maryam}} – a [[matronymic]] (in the Qur'an, Jesus [[Parthenogenesis|has no father]]; see [[Jesus in Islam]]). An Arabic patronymic can be extended as far back as family tree records will allow: thus, for example, [[Ibn Khaldun]] gave his own full name as {{Transliteration|ar|Abd ar-Rahman ibn Muhammad ibn Muhammad ibn Muhammad ibn al-Hasan ibn Muhammad ibn Jabir ibn Muhammad ibn Ibrahim ibn ʿAbd ar-Rahman ibn Khaldun}}.

Patronymics are still standard in parts of the Arab world, notably Saudi Arabia and Iraq (in the case of Iraq, with {{Transliteration|ar|ibn}} or {{Transliteration|ar|bint}} omitted.) However, some of the Arab world has switched to a family name system.{{When|date=May 2015}} As in English, the new family names are sometimes based on what was formerly a patronymic. The form most used in the Arab world is the usage of both the patronymic and a family name, often using both the father's and paternal grandfathers given name in sequence after the own given name, and then the family name. In Iraq, for example, full names are formed by combining the given name of an individual with the given name of their father (sometimes the father is skipped and the paternal grandfather's given name is used instead, sometimes both father and paternal grandfather are used), along with the town, village, or clan name. For instance, Hayder Karar Hussein al-Mousawi is named Hayder, the son of Karrar, the grandson of Hussein, and from the family of Mousawi (This is the surname given to the offspring of the Imam [[Musa al-Kazim]]). 
In Saudi Arabia, naming conventions are similar to Iraq's but family names are used much more often.

===== Aramaic =====
In [[Aramaic language|Aramaic]], the prefix '''''bar-''''' means "son" and is used as a prefix meaning "son of". In the Bible, [[Saint Peter|Peter]] is called Bar-Jonah in [[Matthew 16:17]] and [[Nathanael (follower of Jesus)|Nathanael]] is possibly called [[Bartholomew the Apostle|Bartholomew]] because he is the son of Tolmai (or son of Ptolemy, with "P" being reduced). The titles can also be figurative, for example in [[Book of Acts|Acts]] 4:36–37 a man named Joseph is called [[Barnabas]] meaning "son of consolation". The feminine equivalent, '''''b'rat-''''', is found in the [[Targum]]im.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Jastrow, בַּר II 1 |url=https://www.sefaria.org/Jastrow,_%D7%91%D6%B7%D6%BC%D7%A8_II.1?ven=London,_Luzac,_1903&lang=he |access-date=2023-02-13 |website=www.sefaria.org}}</ref>

[[Mandaean name]]s also often make use of the prefix ''bar-''.<ref name="Buckley2010">{{cite book|last=Buckley|first=Jorunn Jacobsen|title=The great stem of souls: reconstructing Mandaean history|publisher=Gorgias Press|publication-place=Piscataway, N.J|year=2010|isbn=978-1-59333-621-9}}</ref>

===== Hebrew =====
{{further|Jewish name}}

In the Hebrew patronymic system, commonly used by Jews, the first name is followed by '''''[[Ben (Hebrew)|ben-]]''''' ("son of") or '''''bat-''''' ("daughter of"), and then the father's or mother's name, or both.

===== Assyrian =====
The [[Assyrian people|Assyrians]] for centuries have used the patronymic '''''bet''''' or '''''bit''''' literally meaning "house" in [[Assyrian Neo-Aramaic]]; however, in the context of the name it means "from the house of [the father's name]."

==== Persian ====
In [[Persian language|Persian]], patronymics {{lang|fa|پَسوَند}} are formed by names ending with the suffix "-pur" {{lang|fa|پور}} for men and "-dokht" {{lang|fa|دُخت}} for women. For example: Shahpur (son of king) and Sinapur (son of Sina). Depending on country, some suffixes are more common than others. For example, in [[Iran]], the suffix "-pur" is common while in [[Afghanistan]], the suffix "-Zadah" {{lang|fa|زاده}} or "-Zad" {{lang|fa|زاد}} is common, although --[[Zadeh]] is common in Iran.

==== Kurdish ====
In [[Kurdish Language]], generally, a triple name system is used which is patronymic and avonymic. That is the name of the individual followed by the father's name and the paternal grandfather's name without any modification of the names and are completely gender neutral. This style of naming is used in all official documentation in the [[Iraqi Kurdistan Region]]. Surnames are not officially used and most people do not even have a surname or family name, those who do, they usually derive their surnames from the name of their place of birth, place of origin, clan or tribe names, etc. The Kurdish names in Turkey, Iran and Syria are heavily influenced by the official naming systems in the respective countries.

===Europe===
In Europe, patronyms were formerly widespread but later became confined to Scandinavia, Iceland, and some Eastern Slavic cultures.

====English====
{{See also |English name}}
In England, names ending with the suffix "-son" or "-ing" were often originally patronymic. In addition, the archaic French (more specifically, [[Norman language|Norman]]) prefix ''fitz'' (cognate with the modern French ''[[wikt:fils|fils]]'', meaning "son") appears in England's aristocratic family lines dating from the [[Norman Conquest]], and also among the [[Anglo-Irish]]. Thus there are names such as Fitzgerald, Fitzmaurice and Fitzhugh. In addition, the name ''[[Fitzroy (surname)|Fitzroy]]'', meaning "son of [the] king" (''[[roy]]''), was sometimes used by illegitimate royal children.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Another Name Question [Archive&#93; – Straight Dope Message Board |url=http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/archive/index.php/t-258669.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120403022832/http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/archive/index.php/t-258669.html |archive-date=3 April 2012 |access-date=23 April 2013 |publisher=Boards.straightdope.com}}</ref>

====Irish, Scottish, and Manx====
{{See also|Irish name#Ó and Mac surnames|Celtic onomastics#Surname prefixes|Scottish surnames#Patronymics}}
{{Redirect|Mc-|words in the style of McDonald's product names|McWord}}
{{anchor|Ireland|Scotland|Celtic|Gaelic}}
{{Unreferenced section|date=October 2008}}
The use of "Mac" in some form was prevalent in [[Scottish Gaelic]], Irish, and [[Manx language|Manx]], in all of which it denotes "son." "Mc" is also a frequent anglicisation in both Scotland and Ireland. In Ireland, the forms "Mag" and "M'" are encountered. The prefix "Mac" is used to form a patronym, such as "Mac Coinnich"—or the anglicized "Mackenzie"—son of Coinneach/Kenneth. The female equivalent of ''Mac'' is ''Nic'', condensed from ''nighean mhic'' (in Scottish Gaelic) or ''iníon mhic'' (in Irish), both meaning daughter. For example, the Scottish Gaelic surname, ''Nic Dhòmhnaill'' meaning "daughter of a son of Dòmhnall" (in English, Donald), as in ''Mairi Nic Dhòmhnaill'', or Mary MacDonald.

At the north end of the [[Irish Sea]], in [[Ulster]], the [[Isle of Man]], and [[Galloway]] (indeed as far north as [[Argyll]]), "Mac" was frequently truncated in speech to /k/. This led to such anglicisations as "Qualtrough" (Son of Walter) and "Quayle" (son of Paul, cf. [[MacPhail]]), usually beginning with "C," "K," or "Q." In Ireland, this truncation resulted in surnames such as "Guinness" (son of Aonghus, cf. MacAonghusa), beginning usually in "C" or "G" for patronymics prefixed with Mac, and in "H" (e.g., "Hurley" [descendant of Iarlath, cf. Ua h-Iarfhlatha/O'Hurley]) for surnames prefixed with "O." Colloquial Scottish Gaelic also has other patronymics of a slightly different form for individuals, still in use (for more information please see: [[Scottish Gaelic personal naming system]]).

====Welsh and Cornish====
{{anchor|Wales|Cornwall}}
{{see also|Welsh surnames|Cornish surnames}}
{{Refimprove section|date=December 2013}}
Before the 1536 [[Laws in Wales Acts 1535–1542|Act of Union]], the Welsh did not generally employ surnames, but instead used [[epithet]]s (e.g. [[Selyf Sarffgadau]], "Selyf the Battle-Serpent"), patronyms (e.g. [[Rhodri the Great|Rhodri ap Merfyn]], "Rhodri son of Merfyn"), and (much less often) matronyms (e.g. [[Rhodri the Great|Rhodri map Nest]], "Rhodri son of Nest") to identify people.

Welsh, as a [[Gallo-Brittonic languages|P-Celtic language]], originally used ''map'' or ''mab'' instead of the [[P-Celtic and Q-Celtic languages|Q-Celtic]] ''mac'' employed in Ireland and Scotland. These were later simplified to the [[modern Welsh]] ''ap'' and ''ab''. A common practice is to use ''mab''/''ab'' before a father's name beginning with a vowel (e.g., [[Llywelyn the Great|Llywelyn mab Iorwerth]]), but the two alternative forms are also employed arbitrarily in many sources.

Daughters were indicated by ''ferch'' or ''verch'' ([[Welsh language#mutation|mutated]] from ''merch'', "girl, daughter"). ''Angharad verch Owain'' would be "Angharad, daughter of Owain".

After the Acts of Union, this led to many Welsh surnames being variants of their father or ancestor's personal name: ''ap'' or ''ab Ieuan'' often became "Evans"; ''ap Rhys'', "Price"; ''ap'' or ''ab Owain'', "Bowen"; ''ap Hywel'', "Powell" or "Howell". In addition to these Anglicised baptismal and official names, patronyms continued to be commonly employed in Welsh until the [[Industrial Revolution]], particularly in the north and west of Wales. Patronyms were sometimes employed within the English names as well by using the father's personal name as the sons' [[middle name]].

Perhaps because [[Cornish surnames|Cornwall]] was legally incorporated into England earlier than Wales was, patronyms (e.g.{{lang|kw|[m]ap Ros>Rouse, [m]ap Richard>Pritchard, Davies, Evans|italic=no}}) are less common there than [[Toponymic surname|toponyms]] (e.g. [[Tresillian]], Trevithick, [[Nankivell|Nanskeval/Nankeville]]) and occupational surnames (e.g. [[An Gof]], [An] Gove, ''([[Blacksmith]])''; Helyer (Cornish dialect – possibly a [[slater]] or [[Hunter|huntsman]] ({{lang|kw|helgher|italic=no}})).<ref name="Kernow names">[reepages.history.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~kernow/names_h.htm Rootsweb Ancestry.com – Kernow names]</ref>

====Dutch====
In [[Dutch language|Dutch]], patronymics were often used in place of [[family name]]s or as middle names. Patronymics were composed of the father's name plus an ending ''-zoon'' for sons, ''-dochter'' for daughters. For instance, [[Abel Tasman|Abel Janszoon Tasman]] is "Abel son of Jan Tasman", and [[Kenau Simonsdochter Hasselaer]]: "Kenau, daughter of Simon Hasselaer". In written form, these endings were often abbreviated as ''-sz.'' and ''-dr.'' respectively e.g. Jeroen Corneli'''sz'''. "Jeroen son of Cornelis", or [[Dirck Jacobsz.|Dirck Jacobsz]]. The endings ''-s'', ''-se'' and ''-sen'' were also commonly used for sons and often for daughters too. In the northern provinces, ''-s'', as [[genitive case]], was almost universally used for both sons and daughters. The suffix -''x'' as in "Tacx" or "Hendrix" also denoted the son or daughter of... and is now integrated as a complete name.

Patronymics were common in the Dutch [[Dutch Republic|United Provinces]] until the French invasion in 1795 and subsequent annexation in 1810. As the Netherlands were now a province of France, a registry of births, deaths and marriages was established in 1811, whereupon emperor [[Napoleon I of France|Napoleon]] forced the Dutch to register and adopt a distinct surname.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Decreet van Naamsaanneming (Napoleon, 18 augustus 1811) |url=http://www.republikanisme.nl/naamgeving.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090912024314/http://www.republikanisme.nl/naamgeving.html |archive-date=12 September 2009 |access-date=29 April 2009 |language=nl}}</ref>

====French====
{{Unreferenced section|date=December 2013}}
In France, the terms ''patronyme'' and ''nom patronymique'' had long been used interchangeably to designate the family name, meaning that it is inherited from the father.

The tradition of patronymic lineage is still used among some Canadian descendants of French colonists: in the oral tradition of many [[Acadians]], for example, ''Marc à Pierre à Gérard'' ({{lit|Marc of Pierre of Gérard}}), means "Marc, son of Pierre, grandson of Gérard".

====Italian====
{{Unreferenced section|date=November 2021}}
The [[Italian language]] used to designate patronymics in formal writing up to 1975 using the preposition ''di'' (English ''of'') for a living father and ''fu'' (English ''late'') for a deceased one. That is, ''[[Marius (name)|Mario]] di [[John (name)|Giovanni]] Rossi'' meant that Mario Rossi is the son of a living man named Giovanni; ''[[Francis (given name)|Francesco]] fu [[Peter (name)|Pietro]] Verdi'' meant that Francesco Verdi is the son of a deceased man named Pietro. When the father's name was unknown, institutions could use the formula N.N. (''[[Nomen nescio]]'', Latin for "I don't know the name") or use the mother's name or omit this part entirely.

In [[parish record]]s written in [[Latin language|Latin]], the father's name would be written in [[Genitive case|genitive]] with no preposition. For a deceased father, the particle ''quondam'' (English ''once/formerly'') was added. The examples above would have been translated as ''Marius Johannis Rossi'' and ''Franciscus quondam Petri Verdi''.

Patronymics are not in common usage in modern Italian. However, some of them have been the source of various surnames. As an example, the individuals descended from a man named ''[[Paul (name)|Paolo]]'' could have gained the patronymic surnames ''Paolo'', ''Di Paolo'', ''De Paoli'', ''Paoli'', ''Polo'', ''Pagolo'', ''Pagoli'', ''Paolino'', ''Lino'', etc.

====Iberian languages====
{{see also|Spanish naming customs|Portuguese naming customs}}
In the past, both in Spanish and Portuguese, the endings ''-ez'' and ''-es'' tended to be conflated since pronunciation was quite similar in the two languages. Today, Portuguese has been fully standardized to ''-es''; Spanish is also standardized to ''-ez'', but it is very common to see archaic endings in ''-es''. For instance, [[Pires (disambiguation)|Pires]]/[[Peres]] and [[Pérez]] are the modern equivalents of English "[[Peterson (name)|Peterson]]" in Portuguese and Spanish.

In [[Portugal]], there are some surnames that had a patronymic genesis but, while still common, no longer indicate patronymic usage. For instance, ''Álvares'' was the son of ''Álvaro'' and ''Gonçalves'' was the son of ''Gonçalo'' (it was the case of [[Nuno Álvares Pereira]], son of Álvaro and Gonçalves Pereira, son of Gonçalo Pereira). Other cases include ''Rodrigues'' (''son of Rodrigo''), ''Nunes'' (''son of Nuno'') and ''Fernandes'' (''son of Fernando'').
In the same way, the surname Soares means son of Soeiro (in Latin Suarius). It comes from Latin Suaricius (son of Suarius); the Latin [[genitive]] suffix ''-icius/a'' was used to indicate a patronymic. Later it became Suáriz, Suárez (both Spanish), and eventually Soares (Portuguese). Another theory attributes the Iberian -ez style patronymics to Germanic (Visigothic) rather than Latin influence.<ref name=port-names1 /><ref name=port-names2 />

Spanish patronyms follow a similar pattern to the Portuguese (e.g., [[López]]: son of Lope; [[Fernández]]: son of Fernando; [[Martínez (surname)|Martínez]]: son of Martín; [[Rodríguez (surname)|Rodríguez]]: son of Rodrigo; [[Álvarez (surname)|Álvarez]]: son of Álvaro). Common endings include -ez, -az, -iz, -is and -oz. However, not all surnames with similar endings are necessarily patronymic. For example, Chávez is not the son of ''Chavo'', but comes from [[Galician language|Galician]] or [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]] ''chaves'', meaning "keys", with the "s" denoting the plural form of ''chave'', as is the case of key/keys in English.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Roth |first=Elsbeth Anne |date=2002 |title=16th Century Spanish Names |url=https://www.cs.cmu.edu/~kvs/heraldry/spanish16/ |access-date=30 June 2015 |publisher=Carnegie Mellon University School of Computer Science}}</ref>

However, these kinds of surnames were unusual outside the [[Crown of Castile]]. Apart from natural spelling variations (such as using Giménez or Ximénez), modern orthographic standardisation in each Iberian dialect brought a number of crossed versions. It is possible to find the [[Catalan language]] politician Jordi Sànchez (whose surname, while Spanish, has a grave accent – characteristic of Catalan – instead of the acute accent used in Spanish) or the journalist Vicenç Sanchis (who spells his surname in a way that is closer to Catalan, but with the ch digraph characteristic of Spanish).

Due to the letters, z and s being pronounced alike in [[Latin American]] dialects of Spanish, many non-patronymic surnames with an -es have come to be written with an -ez. In Hispano-American Spanish, the -ez spellings of [[Chávez (surname)|Chávez]] ([[Hugo Chávez]]), [[Cortes (surname)|Cortez]] ([[Alberto Cortez]]) and [[Valdez (surname)|Valdez]] ([[Nelson Valdez]]) are not patronymic surnames, but simply variant spellings of the Iberian Spanish spelling with -es, as in the names of [[Manuel Chaves (politician)|Manuel Chaves]], [[Hernán Cortés]] and [[Víctor Valdés]]. For more on the -z surnames in Spanish see [[Influences on the Spanish language]].

A list of some Iberian patronymics:<ref name="port-names1">{{Cite web |last=Luna |first=Juliana de |date=1998 |title=Portuguese Names 1350–1450 |url=http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/juliana/portuguese/ |access-date=30 June 2015 |publisher=The Academy of Saint Gabriel}}</ref><ref name="port-names2">{{Cite web |last=Luna |first=Juliana de |date=June 1999 |title=Portuguese Names from the 16th Century |url=http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/juliana/portugal16/ |access-date=30 June 2015 |publisher=The Academy of Saint Gabriel}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Nombres y Patronímicos Leoneses, s. X |url=http://www.historiaviva.org/nombres/nombres_leon10.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924030339/http://www.historiaviva.org/nombres/nombres_leon10.html |archive-date=24 September 2015 |access-date=30 June 2015 |publisher=Historia Viva}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=1999–2000 |title=Spanish Names from the Late 15th Century: Patronymic Surnames |url=http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/juliana/isabella/patronymic.html |access-date=30 June 2015 |publisher=The Academy of Saint Gabriel}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=1999–2000 |title=Spanish Names from the Late 15th Century |url=http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/juliana/isabella/patronymic.html |access-date=30 June 2015 |publisher=The Academy of Saint Gabriel}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2002 |title=16th Century Spanish Names – Patronymics by Frequency |url=https://www.cs.cmu.edu/~kvs/heraldry/spanish16/patro-freq.html |access-date=30 June 2015 |publisher=The Academy of Saint Gabriel}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" align="center" 
|- 
!Original given name
!Castilian patronymic
!Galician-Portuguese patronymic
|- 
|Álvaro
|Álvarez
|Álvares, Alves
|- 
|Antom, Antão, António
|Antúnez
|Antunes
|- 
|Benito, Bento, Bieito
|Benítez
|Bentes, Bieites, Viéitez
|- 
|Bermudo, Vermudo
|Bermúdez, Vermúdez
|Bermudes
|- 
|Bernardo
|Bernárdez
|Bernardes
|- 
|[[Diego]], [[Diogo (name)|Diogo]]
|Díaz, Díez, Diéguez
|Dias, Diegues
|- 
|Domingo, Domingos
|Domínguez
|Domingues
|- 
|Egaz, Egas
|Viegaz
|Viegas
|- 
|Enrique, Henrique
|Enríquez
|Henriques
|- 
|Ermígio, Hermígio
|Ermíguez
|Hermigues
|- 
|Esteban, Estêvão
|Estébanez
|Esteves, Estévez
|-
|Facundo
|Fagúndez
|Fagundes
|- 
|Fáfila, Fávila
|Fáfez, Fáfilaz
|Fafes, Fáfilas
|- 
|Fernão, Fernando
|Fernández
|Fernandes
|- 
|Froila, Fruela
|Fróilaz, Fruelaz
|Froilas, Fruelas
|- 
|García, Garcia
|Garcés
|Garcês
|- 
|Geraldo
|Geráldez
|Geraldes
|- 
|Godinho, Godím
|Godins, Godínez
|Godins
|- 
|Gomes<sup>1</sup>
|Gómez
|Gomes
|- 
|Gonzalo, Gonçalo
|González
|Gonçalves
|- 
|Gutier, Gutierre, Guterre²
|Gutiérrez
|Guterres
|- 
|Juan, João<br />(from the Latin ''Ioannes'')
|Yáñez, Yanes, Ibáñez 
|Eanes, Anes
|- 
|Lope, Lopo<sup>1</sup>
|López
|Lopes
|- 
|Marco, Marcos
|Márquez
|Marques
|- 
|Martín, Martim, Martinho
|Martínez
|Martins
|- 
|Menendo, Mendo, Mem, <sup>1</sup>
|Menéndez, Méndez
|Mendes
|- 
|Muño, Monio<sup>1</sup>
|Muñoz
|Moniz
|- 
|Nuño, Nuno
|Núñez
|Nunes
|- 
|Ordoño, Ordonho
|Ordóñez
|Ordonhes
|- 
|Pelayo, Paio<sup>1</sup>
|Peláez, Páez
|Paes, Pais
|- 
|Pero, Pedro
|Pérez, Píriz
|Peres, Pires
|- 
|Ramiro
|Ramírez
|Ramires
|- 
|Rodrigo
|Rodríguez
|Rodrigues
|- 
|Ruy, Rui-Roi³
|Ruíz
|Ruis, Rois
|- 
|Sancho
|Sánchez
|Sanches
|- 
|Suero, Soeiro<sup>1</sup>
|Suárez
|Soares
|- 
|Tello, Telo
|Téllez
|Teles
|-
|Varão
|Varón
|Varão
|- 
|Velasco, Vasco
|Velázquez, Vázquez
|Vasques, Vaz
|- 
|Vímara
|Vimaránez
|Vimaranes, Guimarães
|- 
|Ximeno, Jimeno, Gimeno, Chemene, Exemeno<sup>1</sup>
|Ximénez, Jiménez, Jimenes, Ximenes, Giménez, Gimenes, Chiménez, Chimenes, Seménez, Semenes, Ximenis, Eiximenis, Scimemi, Scimeni, Chimenz, Jimeno, Eiximinis, Eximenis
|Ximenes
|}
#<small>Archaic given name, not in use.</small>
#<small>Archaic given name, not in use. Equivalent to the German ''Gunther''.</small>
#<small>''Ruy'' or ''Rui'' is an archaic hypocoristic form of ''Rodrigo''.</small>

====Norse languages====
{{see also|Icelandic name | Swedish name |Scandinavian family name etymology}}

In Norse custom, patronyms and matronyms were formed by using the ending -son (later -søn and -sen in [[Danish language|Danish]], [[Norwegian language|Norwegian]] and German) to the [[genitive case|genitive]] form of the father's name to indicate "son of", and -dóttir ([[Icelandic language|Icelandic]] and Faroese -dóttir, [[Swedish language|Swedish]] and Norwegian -dotter, Danish and Norwegian -datter) for "daughter of". The resulting patronymic was generally not used as a surname; however, a third name, a so-called byname based on location or personal characteristic, was often added to differentiate people and could eventually develop into a kind of [[family name]]. Some [[Early Modern]] examples of the latter practice, where the patronymic was placed after the given name and was followed by the surname, are Norwegian [[Peder Claussøn Friis]], the son of Nicolas Thorolfsen Friis (Claus in Claussøn being short for Nicolas) and Danish [[Thomas Kingo|Thomas Hansen Kingo]], the son of Hans Thomsen Kingo.

Eventually, most Nordic countries replaced or complemented this system with the prevailing "international" standard of inherited family names. In Norway, for example, the [[Storting|parliament]] passed a family name act in 1923, citing the rising population and the need to avoid the confusion of new last names in every generation. The law does allow a person to retain a patronymic as a [[middle name]] in addition to the surname, as was common in Early Modern times; this is not a common practice but does occur, a modern example being [[Audhild Gregoriusdotter Rotevatn]]. The Danish government outlawed the practice in 1856 and eased the regulations in 1904 to deal with the limited number of patronymics. In Sweden the practice of children keeping their father's and wives taking their husband's patronymic as a surname occurred in the 18th century but was first prevalent in the late 19th century. Patronymics were normal in Sweden, at least in rural Sweden, until the 19th century. From the end of the 19th-century patronymics gradually became less common in Sweden until they were abolished in 1966. In 1982 the right to use patronyms (and matronyms) was partially restored; a person (or the parents of a child) had to apply and pay a fee. From 1 July 2017 parents in Sweden are free to give their children patronyms/matronyms at birth instead of inherited family names, and any person can change their last name to a matronymic or patronymic.<ref>{{Cite web |date=14 April 2016 |title=En ny lag om personnamn |url=http://www.regeringen.se/rattsdokument/lagradsremiss/2016/04/en-ny-lag-om-personnamn/ |access-date=21 April 2016}}</ref>

Matronyms were used exceptionally if the child was born out of wedlock, or if the mother was much more high-born or well-known than the father, a historical example being [[Sweyn Estridsson]].

[[Icelandic name|In Iceland]], patronymics or matronymics are still used as last names, and this is, in fact, required by law, with a handful of exceptions. For almost all cases, the father's name (usually in the genitive case) is used, plus the word ''son'' for sons or ''dóttir'' for daughters.<ref name="namelaw">{{Cite web |last=slands |first=Alþingi Í |title=Lög um mannanöfn |url=http://www.althingi.is/lagas/135a/1996045.html |access-date=2 April 2008 |language=is}}</ref> For example, [[Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir]] (i.e. "Jóhanna, daughter of Sigurð[ur]"). People who do not identify as male or female ([[Non-binary gender|nonbinary people]]) can also use the suffix ''-bur'', which means ''child of''''.<ref>[https://www.kristeligt-dagblad.dk/udland/island-bryder-med-tradition-son-eller-dottir Kristeligt Dagblad: ''Island bryder med tradition for son eller dottir'']</ref>

In 2022, the [[Swedish Tax Agency]] denied a [[Gotland]] woman's application to change her surname to one with the [[Gutnish]] ending ''-dotri'' (instead of ''-dotter'') on the grounds that it did not follow Swedish conventions. The administrative court in Stockholm decided in her favour on appeal,<ref>[https://sverigesradio.se/artikel/skatteverket-darfor-overklagar-vi-beslutet-om-gutniska-efternamnet Sveriges Radio P4 Gotland: ''Skatteverket: Därför överklagar vi beslutet om gutniska efternamnet'']</ref> with the Tax Agency in turn taking the case to the Court of Appeal; in early 2023, the Court of Appeal finally ruled that she was allowed to use a Gutnish surname.<ref>[https://sverigesradio.se/artikel/vandningen-julia-far-heta-andersdotri-i-efternamn Sveriges Radio P4 Gotland: ''Vändningen: Julia får heta Andersdotri i efternamn'']</ref>

====Finnish====
In [[Finland]], the use of patronymics was a result of relatively-recent Swedish influence and remained uncommon outside official documents. It was only in the 19th century that the use of patronymics gained any sort of popularity among the [[Finnish language|Finnish]]-speaking lower classes.<ref name="paikkala">{{Cite web |last=Paikkala |first=Sirkka |title=Patronyymit ja matronyymit sukututkimuksissa |url=http://www.genealogia.fi/nimet/nimi16s.htm |access-date=2 August 2015 |website=genealogia.fi |publisher=Suomen Sukututkimusseura |language=fi |archive-date=24 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924040547/http://www.genealogia.fi/nimet/nimi16s.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> Family names became obligatory in Finland by law in 1920.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://agricolaverkko.fi/vintti/julkaisut/historiakone/dokumentti.php?id=1283 |title=Sukunimilaki 1920 :: Dokumentit :: Historiakone :: Julkaisut :: Agricola - Suomen historiaverkko |access-date=6 December 2022 |archive-date=6 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221206074059/https://agricolaverkko.fi/vintti/julkaisut/historiakone/dokumentti.php?id=1283 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Historically, patronymics were composed in Swedish fashion: the father's name and the suffix ''-n'' for genitive plus the word ''poika'' for sons, ''tytär'' for daughters. For example, Tuomas Abrahaminpoika means "Tuomas, Abraham's son", and Martta Heikintytär means "Martta, Heikki's daughter".<ref name="paikkala" />

====Bulgarian====
{{Unreferenced section|date=December 2023}} 
In [[Bulgarian language|Bulgarian]], the patronymics are ''-ov'' / ''-ev'' for men and ''-ova'' / ''-eva'' for women. They are identical to the endings of family names in Bulgarian and some other Slavic family names, such as those in Russian and [[Czech language|Czech]]. In Bulgarian official documents, the patronymic comes before the surname, so ''Ivan Marinov Yordanov'' would be ''Ivan'', son of ''Marin Yordanov''.

====Georgian====
{{main|Georgian surname}}
In [[Georgian language|Georgian]], patronymics, when used, add ''s'' to the end of the father's name, followed by ''dze'' for a man and ''asuli'' for a woman. For example, [[Joseph Stalin]]'s original name was Ioseb Besarionis Dze Jugashvili. After the end of the [[Soviet Union]], patronymics in Georgia have become disused as a Russian tradition.{{Citation needed|date=April 2017}}

Georgian family names derive mostly from patronymics, nicknames and places of origin. Two common elements, ''dze'' and ''shvili'' mean "son of" and "child" respectively.

====Greek====
{{Unreferenced section|date=December 2023}} 
Most [[Greek language|Greek]] surnames are patronymics by origin albeit in various forms depending on the ancestral locality. Diminutive suffixes that denote "son of" or, more generally, "descendant of" start with the given name such as Δημήτριος ''Dēmétrios'' and then have the patronymic surname such as Dēmētr''ópoulos'' ([[Peloponnese]]), Dēmētr''ákos'' ([[Laconia]]), Dēmētr''éas'' ([[Messenia]]n [[Mani Peninsula|Mani]]), Dēmētr''átos'' ([[Cephalonia]]), Dēmētr''ákēs'' ([[Crete]]), Dēmētr''iádēs''/Dēmētr''-ídēs'' ([[Pontus (region)|Pontus]], [[Asia Minor]]), Dēmētr''éllēs'' ([[Lesbos]]), Dēmétr''oglou'' ([[Asia Minor]]) (identical to Turkish patronym ''-oğlu''), or simply ''Dēmētríou'' (especially common in [[Cyprus]], with the first name in the [[genitive]]) are formed. The same principle can apply to surnames deriving from professions. For example, as from παπάς, ''papás'' "priest", are derived the surnames ''Papadópoulos'', ''Papadákos'', ''Papadéas'', ''Papadátos'', ''Papadákēs'', ''Papadéllēs'', ''Papazoglou'' etc., all of which signify a "priest's son". The same {{not a typo|principle(s)}} may apply in combination: ''Papanikoláou, Papanikolópoulos'', "the son of the priest Nikolaos". A daughter's family name is the same as the son's but is ''always'' declined in the genitive: ''Dēmētropoúlou, Papanikoláou''.

In addition to those surnames, actual patronymics are used in official documents as "middle names" preceding the surname. For example, the children of a ''Ioánnis Papadópoulos'' can be ''María Ioánnou Papadopoúlou'' and ''Andréas Ioánnou Papadópoulos'' (''Ioánnou'' is the genitive of ''Ioánnis''). Traditionally, a married woman would adopt her husband's family name. Now, however, women in Greece can keep their own surnames if they choose.

====Hungarian====
{{Unreferenced section|date=December 2013}}
In [[Hungarian language|Hungarian]], patronyms were traditionally formed with the ending ''-fi'' (sometimes spelled as ''-fy'' or ''-ffy''). That system is no longer in common use, but traces can still be found in some frequent current surnames such as ''Pálfi'' (son of Paul), ''Győrfi'', ''Bánfi'' or [[Sándor Petőfi]] (a famous poet who chose the Hungarian form instead of his Slavic birth name, ''Petrovics''). In the Old Hungarian period (10th–16th century, see [[History of Hungarian]]), surnames were not in common use, and the full genitive was represented as in ''Péter fia András'' (''Peter's son Andrew''). Such forms are in frequent use in charters and legal documents from that time. In Hungarian, the surname precedes the given name.

====Romanian====
{{Unreferenced section|date=December 2013}}
In [[Romanian language|Romanian]], the endings ''-escu'' and ''-eanu'' were used, as in ''Petrescu'', 'son of Petre (Peter)'; many modern Romanian family names were formed from such patronymics. Less commonly, matronymics formed with the [[Genitive case|genitive]] form (using the prefix ''a-'') were used, as in ''Amariei'', '(son/daughter) of Maria'.

====Russian====
{{More citations needed section|date=December 2013}}
{{See also |Eastern Slavic naming customs}}
In Russian the endings {{lang|ru|-ovich, -evich|italic=yes}} and ''-ich'' are used to form patronymics for men. It would be cognate to the Latin genitive -ici, used for marking the family line, and also as equivalent to 'little' -Vladic= 'the little Vlad'. For women, the respective endings are {{lang|ru|-ovna, -yevna|italic=yes}} or {{lang|ru|-ichna|italic=yes}}. For example, in Russian, a man named Ivan with a father named Nikolay would be known as Ivan Nikolayevich or "Ivan, son of Nikolay" (''Nikolayevich'' being a patronymic). Likewise, a woman named Lyudmila with a father named Nikolay would be known as Lyudmila Nikolayevna or "Lyudmila, daughter of Nikolay" (''Nikolayevna'' being a patronymic). For masculine names ending in a vowel, such as Ilya or Foma, when they are used as a base for the patronymic, the corresponding endings are ''-ich'' (for men) and {{lang|ru|-inichna|italic=yes}} (for women). Examples in titles of classical Russian literature include'' [[The Belkin Tales|The Tales of the Late Ivan Petrovich Belkin]]'', ''[[The Death of Ivan Ilyich]]'' and ''[[The Tale of How Ivan Ivanovich Quarreled with Ivan Nikiforovich]]''.

In Russia, the patronymic is an official part of the name, used in all official documents, and when addressing somebody both formally and among friends.<ref name="rus1">{{Cite book |last=Cubberley |first=Paul |title=Russian: A Linguistic Introduction |date=17 October 2002 |publisher=[[Cambridge University Press]] |isbn=9780521796415 |page=355}}</ref><ref name="rus2">{{Cite book |last=Stakhnevich |first=Julia |url=https://archive.org/details/everythinglearni0000stak/page/74 |title=The Everything Learning Russian Book |date=2007 |publisher=Everything Books |isbn=9781598693874 |page=[https://archive.org/details/everythinglearni0000stak/page/74 74]}}</ref> The correct written order of a full name is surname, given name, then patronymic – this order would be found on official documents, business cards, and formal addresses. For example, a woman named Mariya Iosifovna Zhukova would hand you a business card that says Zhukova Mariya Iosifovna. Use of the given name followed by the patronymic in Russian is always the neutral, correct and polite way to address any person except close friends, family members, or children – in such cases usage of the patronymic adds humorous intonation of exaggerated but well-meant respect. This form would be congruent to the Western use of Mr. and the surname for the polite and proper use and reference. Instead of schoolchildren calling their teacher Ms. and surname, the proper form would be given name and patronymic. For example, a teacher named Anna Borisovna Kopylova would always be called Anna Borisovna by her pupils. When addressing a much younger person, only the first name is commonly used. Individuals are addressed by their given name followed by the patronymic (e.g., "Mikhail Nikolayevich") in many situations including on formal occasions, by colleagues at work, by acquaintances, or when being addressed by someone younger in age.<ref name=rus1/><ref name="rus3">{{Cite book |title=Encyclopaedia of Contemporary Russian |date=2007 |publisher=[[Routledge]] |isbn=9781136787867 |editor-last=Smorodinskaya |editor-first=Tatiana |page=412 |editor-last2=Evans-Romaine |editor-first2=Karen |editor-last3=Goscilo |editor-first3=Helena}}</ref> It is becoming more common for younger individuals (under 50) to drop the patronymic at work.<ref name=rus3/> In informal situations, if a person is called by a [[diminutive]] (such as Misha for Mikhail or Nastya for Anastasia), the patronymic is not used.<ref name=rus2/>

In [[colloquial]], informal speech, it is also possible to contract the ending of a patronymic: thus Nikolayevich becomes Nikolaich, and Stepan Ivanovich becomes Stepan Ivanych or simply Ivanych as the [[given name]] may be omitted altogether. In this case, the contraction, if possible, is obligatory: Ivan Sergeyevich Sidorov may be called "Sergeich" or, more rarely, "Sergeyevich". In contrast to male names, if a woman is called by her patronymic name without a given name, the patronymic is usually not contracted: "Ivanovna" but "Mar' Ivanna"; "Sergeyevna" or "Sergevna" is one exception, where both forms are fine. Typically, a patronymic name alone is a familiar form of addressing an older female.

====Serbian====
{{Unreferenced section|date=December 2013}}
[[Vuk Karadžić]] reported in the 19th century that Serbs sometimes used their old family names, and sometimes patronymics. Vuk Karadžić himself used patronymic “Stefanović” (son of Stefan, equivalent of Steven), and sometimes Karadžić, old family name. However, nowadays, the patronymic names in Serbia are mostly used on legal documents, and have the form of the father's name that says the child is 'of so and so'... example: Marija Dragoljuba Pavlović, where Dragoljub is the father's name and 'Dragoljuba' literally means 'of Dragoljub'.  There are also other forms, like to include – the father's name – in brackets: Maria (Dragoljub) Pavlović.

It became more common to include the name of any one of the parents in legal documents ('ime jednog roditelja') – in practice this is usually still the father's name.

In Serbia, Croatia and Bosnia, the patronymic names do not change form between [[Grammatical gender|masculine]] and [[Grammatical gender|feminine]]. Example: Marija Dragoljuba Pavlović (Dragoljub is the father's name; Dragoljuba is the form that says she is his daughter or literally 'of Dragoljub'). However, in the past, unmarried Serbian women's surnames ended in -eva, while married Serbian women's surnames ended in -ka.

====Turkish<!--Turkish not Turkic: see talk page-->====
{{main|Turkish name}}
In [[Turkish language|Turkish]], the [[suffix]]es used to indicate paternal ancestry are ''[[:wikt:oğul|-oğlu]]'' and ''[[:wikt:zadeh|-zade]]'', which indicate the ancestry as coming from a certain man. Like many other patronymics in other languages, with the formalization of naming conventions by laws in the [[late modern history|late modern]] [[Contemporary history|contemporary age]] many turned into surnames. After the '[[Surname Law|Surname revolution]]' in 1934, many people chose professions or habitat as surnames with or without the suffix ''-oğlu'', such as ''Elbeyioğlu'', ''Bakkaloğlu'' or ''Giritlioğlu'' and with ''-zade'' such as ''[[Begzada|Beyzade]]'', ''Mehmedzade'', ''Yusufzade''.

====Ukrainian====
{{main|Ukrainian name}}
In [[Ukrainian language|Ukrainian]], the female patronymic always ends with -{{Lang|uk|івна}} (-''ivna'') or -{{Lang|uk|ївна}} (-''yivna'').<ref name=LPUkraine/> The male patronymic always ends with -{{Lang|uk|ович}} (-''ovych'') or -{{Lang|uk|йович}} (-''yovych'').<ref name="LPUkraine">[https://books.google.com/books?id=MUmCGXMhQuYC&pg=PA52 Ukrainian:Lonely Planet Phrasebook] by [[Marko Pavlyshyn]], [[Lonely Planet]], 2002, {{ISBN|978-1-74104-605-2}} (page 52)</ref> Exception: ''Illia'' ({{Lang|uk|Ілля}}) → ''Illich'' ({{Lang|uk|Ілліч}}) (e.g. [[Élie Metchnikoff|Illia Illich Mechnikov]]), ''Sava'' ({{Lang|uk|Сава}}) → ''Savych'' ({{Lang|uk|Савич}}), ''Yakiv'' ({{Lang|uk|Яків}}) → ''Yakovych'' ({{Lang|uk|Якович}}).<ref>Потелло Н. Я. Теорія і практика ділового мовлення: Навч. посібник.— К.: МАУП, 1999.— 132 с.— Бібліогр.: с. 129.</ref>

Patronyms are part of the full name and are obligatory in formal messages. They are frequent in common speech, such as to call a person in a respectful manner (by using the name, followed by the patronym) and to accent an informal message in formal environments, as between colleagues with good relationships at work (by using the patronym with neither the name nor the family name).

==See also==
* [[Roman naming conventions#Filiation|Filiation]]
* [[Matronymic]]
* [[Toponymic surname]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
{{Wiktionary|patronymic}}
* {{Cite web |title=Danish Naming Traditions |url=http://homepage.mac.com/sootica/Sites/DenmarkFAQ/namingtraditions.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120107204309/http://homepage.mac.com/sootica/Sites/DenmarkFAQ/namingtraditions.html |archive-date=7 January 2012}}
* {{Cite web |date=25 September 2019 |title=Welsh Patronymic Surnames |url=http://www.amlwchdata.co.uk/welsh_surnames.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061015011121/http://www.amlwchdata.co.uk/welsh_surnames.htm |archive-date=15 October 2006}}
* [http://gutenberg.net.au/dutch-note.html 17th Century Dutch Surnames] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160313155636/http://www.gutenberg.net.au/dutch-note.html |date=13 March 2016 }}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090327031531/http://www.data-wales.co.uk/names.htm Data Wales Surnames] (archived 27 March 2009)
* [http://www.expatica.com/nl/life_in/leisure/whats-the-story-with-dutch-surnames-858.html What's the story with Dutch surnames?] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081202040200/http://www.expatica.com/nl/life_in/leisure/whats-the-story-with-dutch-surnames-858.html |date=2 December 2008 }}

{{Personal names}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Surname]]
[[Category:Patronymics|*]]
[[Category:Types of words]]