Surname

A surname or family name is a name added to a given name. In many cases, a surname is a family name and many dictionaries define "surname" as a synonym of "family name". In the western hemisphere, it is commonly synonymous with last name because it is usually placed at the end of a person's given name.

In most Spanish-speaking and Portuguese-speaking countries, two or more last names (or surnames) may be used. In China, Hungary, Japan, Korea, Madagascar, Taiwan, Vietnam, and parts of India, the family name is placed before a person's given name.

The style of having both a family name (surname) and a given name (forename) is far from universal. In many countries, it is common for ordinary people to have only one name or mononym.

The concept of a "surname" is a relatively recent historical development, evolving from a medieval naming practice called a "byname". Based on an individual's occupation or area of residence, a byname would be used in situations where more than one person had the same name.

Ibsen (crater)

Ibsen is a crater on Mercury. It is located near the antipode of Caloris Basin.

Ibsen (disambiguation)

Ibsen is a Danish surname most commonly associated with the Norwegian playwright and poet Henrik Ibsen (whose family was of Danish origin). The name may also appear as Ebsen. The name is originally a patronymic, meaning "son of Ib" (Ib is a Danish variant of Jacob); however, Henrik Ibsen's family had used the name as a "frozen" patronymic (i.e. a permanent family name) since the 17th century.

Henrik Ibsen's family

Other people named Ibsen