1. names derived from the name of a father or paternal ancestor
Usage: linguistics; plural form

Examples

• Many Scandinavian patronymics end in -son or -sen.
• Johnson and Peterson are common English patronymics.
• In Iceland, patronymics are still used as official surnames.
• The study of patronymics reveals patterns of family naming traditions.
• Russian patronymics like Ivanovich indicate ‘son of Ivan.’
• Ancient Greek patronymics often appeared in epic poetry.
• Some cultures have abandoned patronymics in favor of fixed family names.