Matronymic

A matronymic is part of a name that comes from the given name of one's mother, grandmother, or any female ancestor."matronymic, n. and adj.". OED Online, 3rd edition. March 2018. Oxford University Press.  It is the female version of a patronymic. Around the world, matronymic last names are far less common than patronymic last names. In some cultures in the past, matronymic last names were often given to children of unmarried mothers.Mother's name becoming common in naming conventions in Kerala (page 201), shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in; accessed May 18, 2017.

References

Category:Names