Kinds of surname

Personal name

Also written or known as Given name, Forename and First name

The individual name a person is given, such as John or Matilda.

Many surnames grew from personal names, either unchanged (Gilbert, Martin) or as patronymics and diminutives (Gilbertson, Martinson, Wilkins). Medieval personal names came from Old English, Old Norse, Norman French, Gaelic and the Bible.