Name der Familie, der hinter dem Vornamen steht.
Family name that comes after the first name.
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See how the word “Nachname” is used in sentences
Bitte schreiben Sie Ihren Nachnamen in Großbuchstaben. — Please write your surname in capital letters.
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words — the estimated size of your passive German vocabulary
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Download the app for free German vocabulary testGerman names the parts of a name by position, and honestly: Vorname is the “before-name”, Nachname the “after-name”. English last name makes a claim that fails in half the world's naming systems; the German pair makes the same claim but at least says openly that it is about order.
The formal word on documents is Familienname, and the pre-marriage name is Mädchenname or, in newer usage, Geburtsname — the second being the one officials now prefer, because not everyone was a Mädchen.
Vorname first name
Literally “before-name”. The pair is built on order, not on function.
Familienname family name
The official word, and the one used on forms meant to work internationally.
Geburtsname birth name
Has largely replaced Mädchenname in official use, for the obvious reason.
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