Line #45 Main/SameSurnameMeansRelated


1	->"Wass your name, dearie?" she said.\
2	"Smith," said Winston.\
3	"Smith?" said the woman. "Thass funny. My name's Smith too. Why," she added sentimentally, "I might be your mother!"
4	-->-- ''Literature/NineteenEightyFour''
5
6	In works of fiction, characters will ([[NoNameGiven most]] [[YouAreNumberSix likely]]) have names. Most authors will go out of their way to avoid giving two characters [[OneSteveLimit the same first name]] in order to avoid confusing the audience, unless it's [[LawOfConservationOfDetail intentional]] for the sake of [[PlanetOfSteves some kind of joke]]. For the same reason, it's extremely likely that they will only give two or more characters the same surname only if they are related.
7
8	It's usually safe to assume that characters that are introduced as being family have the same surname, so examples on this page only cover cases where this is done as TheReveal or otherwise becomes a plot point: a character (major or minor) is discovered to be related to a main character by way of being a LongLostRelative, secret partner, someone who had ShedTheFamilyName or just being a family member that was never previously mentioned because YouNeverAsked. In the event of a {{crossover}}, if any characters from these previously separate works happen to share the same surname, you can bet at least a quick joke will be made of it -- and the fanfiction writers [[StockEpilepticTrees will go mad with theories]].
9
10	Of course, as in RealLife, having the same surname does not always signify the two characters being related. ValuesDissonance may apply since surname frequency varies worldwide due to cultural or historical factors.[[note]]This trope is more justified in the Anglosphere, where even the most common surname (Smith) only comprises 0.8% of the population. About 7% of mainland China has the surname Wang, 10% of Hong Kong is Chan/Chen, 20% of South Korea is Kim, and nearly 40% of Vietnam is Nguyen. Watching {{Korean Drama}}s, for example, can be somewhat confusing; it seems as though half of the cast share a surname even if they are not related, as that's how things are in real life. Surnames tend to go extinct under the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galton–Watson_process Galton–Watson process]]. Chinese surnames have been in use for so long, they gradually died out and leaving fewer surnames behind, despite the massive Chinese population. On the other hand, Japanese and Thai surnames are relatively recently invented, so there is a much greater variety of surnames. Vietnamese surnames are an exception as people adopted Nguyen for various reasons and not necessarily from the natural extinction of other surnames. Furthermore, there are cultures that do not even use surnames as is understood in the Anglosphere, like having last names that are patronymics: [[{{Music/Bjork}} Guðmundsdóttir]] indicates "daughter of Guðmundur", not a surname shared by the father.[[/note]]
11
12	Sometimes it's an intentional joke (for example, [[WesternAnimation/TinyToonAdventures Buster and Babs Bunny]]). In the case of large casts, it could have been an honest mistake because the writer was not paying attention too closely. Or maybe they were just really lazy. These instances are not aversions of the trope unless someone directly points it out and is immediately told it cannot possibly be for in-story reasons.
13
14	Either way, this will make LastNameBasis awkward. A variant of OneSteveLimit. Contrast PlanetOfSteves. Compare SameRaceMeansRelated, which is this trope but with ethnicities. See also RidiculouslyLonglivedFamilyName, when families have the same surname for an incredible length of time.
15
16	----
17	!!Administrivia/InUniverseExamplesOnly
18
19	[[foldercontrol]]
20
21	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
22	* In ''Manga/AsteroidInLove'', when Mira and Ao enter their second year, one of the two new members of the [[ClubStub Earth Sciences club]] introduces herself as Chikage Sakurai. The older members have suspicions, but before they can properly ask the new member for confirmation, the new member comes clean by thanking them for taking care of her older sister, the former vice president Mikage Sakurai.
23	* In ''Manga/{{Bakuman}}'', this is averted. Akira Hattori and Yujiro Hattori, respectively the main characters' and Eiji's editors, happen to have the same surname, but appear to be unrelated, with Yujiro calling Akira by his surname.
24	* Subverted in ''Manga/TheDisastrousLifeOfSaikiK''. "Saiki" was the family name of both of Kusuo's parents. Rather than proof of relation, these HappilyMarried SickeninglySweethearts see it as proof of destiny.
25	* In the ''Anime/{{Macross}}'' franchise, there's a United Nations Air Force airman named Edgar [=LaSalle=] who appeared in ''Anime/MacrossZero''. In ''Anime/SuperDimensionFortressMacross'', a United Nations Spacy officer named Claudia [=LaSalle=] appears in the show. Shoji Kawamori and the production crew have not cleared up any issues about whether the two are related. On the other hand, it's played with Sheryl Nome as the actual descendant of Mao Nome. The connection was not seen when ''Anime/MacrossFrontier'' aired on television. But a Blu-Ray release corrected this connection [[spoiler:when Sheryl's earrings are seen near a picture frame of Mao's parents.]]
26	* In ''Manga/ATropicalFishYearnsForSnow'', Koyuki Honami, one of the two protagonists, has the same surname as a teacher at her school. The fact that they're related and their relationship is obvious to everyone means that Koyuki is under even more pressure to act like a model student.
27	* In ''Manga/UQHolder'', Isana and Honoka Konoe briefly wonder if they're related to Touta upon seeing his last name (and take to calling him onii-sama), but there's nothing to suggest that there's any connection (especially because [[spoiler:he's a hybrid clone of Negi and Asuna]]). [[spoiler:Later, it turns out that they are related in a roundabout way due to the woman who gave birth to him as a surrogate also being a descendant of their grandmother Konoka (though the direct relation is not specified).]]
28	[[/folder]]
29
30	[[folder:Comic Books]]
31	* Common in Creator/DCComics.
32	** Larry Jordan, the [[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks GoldenAge]] character Airwave, was later revealed to be a cousin to Hal Jordan, the [[UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks Silver Age]] ComicBook/GreenLantern.
33	** Shierra Sanders, the [[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks GoldenAge]] [[ComicBook/{{Hawkman}} Hawkgirl]] was established in ''[[ComicBook/JusticeSocietyOfAmerica JSA]]'' as a cousin to the [[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks GoldenAge]] adventurer Speed Saunders, even though the names weren't ''quite'' the same.
34	** A team-up between ComicBook/{{Superman}} and the Silent Knight had Clark taken aback by learning the Knight's real name was Brian Kent. The implication seemed to be that he ''must'' therefore be Pa Kent's ancestor.
35	** Conversely, Batman villain Harvey Kent had his surname retconned to Harvey Dent after his first few appearances to make it clear that he wasn't related to ''those'' Kents.
36	** When DC acquired the Quality Comics characters, Sandra Knight, ComicBook/PhantomLady, became a cousin of Ted Knight, the original ComicBook/{{Starman}}. On that note, Phantom Lady is a notable {{Aversion}}. Despite three of the Phantom Ladies sharing a surname, none have been revealed to be related to each other.
37	** When she was introduced, Kate Kane, ComicBook/{{Batwoman}}, didn't appear to have any connection to the established Kanes in the ''ComicBook/{{Batman}}'' mythos. Her ComicBook/New52 series established that Bette Kane, Flamebird, was her cousin, meaning she was also related to Kathy Kane (whose role as the original Batwoman had recently been reinserted into continuity). In ''ComicBook/BatmanZeroYear'', Bruce's Uncle Philip has portraits of Kate's family in his office, suggesting Martha Kane's maiden name isn't a coincidence either; subsequently she would explicitly call Bruce her cousin in ''ComicBook/DetectiveComicsRebirth''. (Of course, in RealLife, they're all named after Batman creator Bob Kane.)
38	** One writer wanted to establish the original ComicBook/BlackCanary, Dinah Drake, as Tim Drake's great-aunt, though it was nixed by the editor. It would actually make a bit of sense, however, since both belong to wealthy Gothamite families.
39	** Played with in Reboot ''ComicBook/LegionOfSuperheroes''. Laurel Gand/Andromeda is a Daxamite who claims descent from the legendary Daxamite hero (and galactic religious icon) [[ComicBook/{{Valor}} Lar Gand/Valor]]. Brainiac 5 points out that "Gand" is a very common surname on Daxam, and she retorts "I know what I know."
40	* MassiveMultiplayerCrossover, ''ComicBook/TheLeagueOfExtraordinaryGentlemen'' will usually make characters with the same last name RelatedInTheAdaptation;
41	** In the prequel story "Alan and the Sundered Veil'', it is revealed that [[Franchise/CthulhuMythos Randolph Carter]] is a great-nephew of [[Literature/JohnCarterOfMars John Carter]].
42	** Both being spies, Tara King from ''Series/{{The Avengers\|1960s}}'' is now the sister of ''Series/JasonKing''.
43	** Captain Universe's alter-ego, Jim Logan is now a brother to Jet-Ace Logan. Short-lived superhero and CaptainSpaceDefenderOfEarth from British comic strips respectively.
44	** Dean Moriarty from ''Literature/OnTheRoad'' by Creator/JackKerouac is a descendant of James Moriarty from the ''Franchise/SherlockHolmes'' stories.
45	* ''ComicBook/DisneyDucksComicUniverse'': The Disney Comics originally introduced various characters by the name of "Duck" as unrelated to the main WesternAnimation/DonaldDuck -- just a case of SpeciesSurname gone wild. However, as time went on, characters like Moby Duck, or, yes, [[KissingCousins his own girlfriend Daisy Duck]], were retconned to be variously related cousins (not so much as a conscious decision as out of new writers assuming this trope was at play and that they always ''were'' meant to be related).
46	* In the Franchise/MarvelUniverse, ''ComicBook/SpiderMan2099'' debuted in 1992, introducing the world to Tyler Stone, the boss of Spider-Man in his civilian identity of Miguel O'Hara. A decade later, Tiberius Stone debuted in 2001 as TheRival of [[ComicBook/IronMan Tony Stark]]. No relationship between the two Stones existed until the 2013 ''ComicBook/SuperiorSpiderMan'' storyline "Necessary Evil", which established Tiberius as Tyler's father.
47	* Golden Age Marvel heroine Betsy Ross (Golden Girl) turned out to be related to ''ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk'''s General Ross and thusly to the near-identically named Betty Ross.
48	* Parodied and ultimately averted in the first comic crossover between ''ComicBook/XMen'' and ''Franchise/StarTrek'' in which both Hank "Beast" [=McCoy=] and Leonard "Bones" [=McCoy=] not only have the same last name, but they are also doctors. At one point, someone says, "Dr. [=McCoy=]" and they both answer at the same time.
49	* In ''The ComicBook/UncannyXMen and ComicBook/NewTeenTitans'', one of Marvel & DC's early {{Intercontinuity Crossover}}s, during an EveryoneMeetsEveryone scene Changeling (Gar Logan) wonders if he and Wolverine (who at the time was [[OnlyOneName known only as]] Logan when not using his codename) are related.
50	* ''ComicBook/XMen'': ComicBook/{{Colossus}}, real name Piotr Rasputin. Originally it was just a [[NamedAfterSomebodyFamous stereotypical Russian surname]], but later it was revealed that the most well-known [[UsefulNotes/RasputinTheMadMonk Rasputin]] was actually his ancestor.[[note]]In real life, the only (known) surviving descendants of Grigori Rasputin as of 1975 (when Colossus was introduced) lived not in the Soviet Union but in the United States. Those who stayed in Russia had been killed in the wake of the October Revolution. Any ''unknown'' descendants who might have survived would be unlikely to use the Rasputin surname.[[/note]]
51	* Sam Wilson, ComicBook/TheFalcon, and Jim Wilson from '70s ''ComicBook/{{The Incredible Hulk\|1968}}'', began as a coincidence but were eventually [[{{Revision}} retconned]] into uncle and nephew. However, [[ComicBook/{{Deadpool}} Wade Winston Wilson]] - if that is in fact his real name - is apparently no relation.
52	* When Creator/JossWhedon was writing ''ComicBook/XMen,'' he wanted to include a joke implying that [[Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer a certain character of his]] was part of the [[TangledFamilyTree already quite tangled]] Summers family.
53	* Averted in ''ComicBook/TheWalkingDead''. Creator/RobertKirkman confirmed that Paul "Jesus" Monroe isn't related to the Monroe family in Alexandria and he had simply reused the surname because "Monroe" is a very common last name in the D.C. area.
54	[[/folder]]
55
56	[[folder:Fan Works]]
57	* In the DistantEpilogue of ''Fanfic/BridgeToTerabithia2TheLastTime'', Jess and Leslie find out their daughter had a crush on a boy named Brandon Hoager, who shares a surname with Jess' former childhood bully Scott Hoager (from the [[Film/BridgeToTerabithia 2007 adaptation]]). Turns out that ''yes'', they are related, and Jess' daughter just fell for the son of his ex-bully, much to Jess' bewilderment.
58	* ''Series/DoctorWho'' fics:
59	** The ''Series/DoctorWho / Magician's House'' crossover "[[https://groups.google.com/forum/?hl=en#!original/alt.drwho.creative/ePu0priPPMU/NV320Ioq7KEJ A Name of Ill-Omen]]" by John Elliott implies a connection between Stephen Tyler and Rose Tyler.
60	** The fanfic ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10221826/1/Osgood Osgood]]'' is written based on the premise that three Whoniverse characters with that surname are different generations of the same family. [[note]]The concept that Petronella Osgood ''was'' in fact Tom Osgood's daughter had yet to be explored in canon, and is still officially unconfirmed as of 2019; in fact, Petronella had yet to receive her first name.[[/note]]
61	** In the ''Fanfic/ThisTimeRound'' setting, the proprietor of Carter's Imports appears to be related to every fictional and real-life character with that surname.
62	* ''Fanfic/FarceOfTheThreeKingdoms'': Liu Bei [[InvokedTrope claims]] that all Lius belong to the royal family, especially him of course. This (usually) stops him from attacking other Lius openly, although backstabbing is still fair game.
63	* This has become so common on ''Fanfic/Earth27'' thanks to RelatedInTheAdaptation, that now practically EveryoneIsRelated, one way or the other. The most mundane examples include Hawkman/Carter Hall, being the older brother of Hank and Don Hall, the first Hawk and Dove duo, and Tim Drake/Robin III/Red Robin being the nephew of Laurel Drake-Lance, mother of Dinah Lance/Black Canary.
64	* ''Fanfic/TheMountainAndTheWolf'': The Wolf cannot seem to get it through his head that Westeros customs give the same surname to bastard children regardless of their parentage, and congratulates Jon (Snow) for being a much better fighter than his brother Ramsay (also Snow, although by the time the Wolf killed him, Ramsay had already been legitimized as Ramsay Bolton).
65	* In ''Fanfic/QuietSnow'', the side story "The Life I Chose" has [[VideoGame/Persona4 Yukiko Amagi]] go through with her plan to leave Inaba after graduating and get a job as an OfficeLady in a city where no one knows her except her roommate and girlfriend Shizuka Yagami(a GenderFlip of the protagonist). One of Yukiko's coworkers, who's getting married, asks Yukiko for possible destinations and notices that Yukiko has the same surname as the inn's owners, thus assuming that she's a relative.
66	* Subtly done in the ''Series/{{Angel}}''/''Franchise/{{Tarzan}}''/''Franchise/{{Zorro}}'' fanfic "The Wolf Gate", in which the modern day [[AffirmativeActionLegacy La Zorra]], Alejandra Vega, mentions she has a great-uncle who was a lawyer with a secretaty named Street - obviously a reference to Franchise/PerryMason, who is presumably related via Ken Mason from the serial ''Film/GhostOfZorro''.
67	[[/folder]]
68
69	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
70	* Subverted in ''Film/CapitalismALoveStory'': Creator/MichaelMoore interviews economic writer Stephen Moore, and notes that they have "no relation" after giving his name.
71	* Parodied in ''Film/DieHard''. When the two FBI agents arrive one of them says "I'm Agent Johnson. This is Special Agent Johnson... No relation." The joke is that one of the agents is black and one is white.
72	* ''Film/EurovisionSongContestTheStoryOfFireSaga'' has a UsefulNotes/{{Patronymic}} variation: Sigrit and Lars frequently have to explain that they're not siblings. The fact that their surnames are ''Ericksson(g)'' and ''Ericksdottir'' doesn't particularly help. [[spoiler:At the end of the film it's revealed that they are definitely not siblings. Apparently their fathers were just both named Erick.]]
73	* Deliberately averted in ''Franchise/StarWars'', where Creator/GeorgeLucas intended for Antilles to be the galaxy's version of a common, generic last name like Smith. ''Film/ANewHope'' has both Captain Raymus Antilles (of the Rebel blockade runner from the opening scene) and Wedge Antilles (the EnsembleDarkhorse Rebel pilot). ''Film/ThePhantomMenace'' also mentions Senator Bail Antilles. None of them are related. Although Raymus and Bail ''were'' related in ''Legends'', with both being from the Alderaanian House of Antilles; it's unknown if it's still the case in current canon.
74	* Creator/QuentinTarantino has said in interviews that some of his characters with the same surnames are related to each other:
75	** Vince Vega from ''Film/PulpFiction'' and Vic Vega from ''Film/ReservoirDogs'' are brothers. They were meant to get a movie together but it never got off the ground.
76	** Donny Donowitz from ''Film/InglouriousBasterds'' is the father of Lee Donowitz from ''Film/TrueRomance''.
77	[[/folder]]
78
79	[[folder:Literature]]
80	* ''Literature/{{Discworld}}''
81	** Emphatically averted by Bedlow Nobbs of ''Literature/UnseenAcademicals'', who is very much not related to Corporal "Nobby" Nobbs of the Watch, not even from a different branch but an entirely different family tree.
82	** In ''Literature/LordsAndLadies'', Granny Weatherwax says she is distantly related to Arch-Chancellor Galder Weatherwax from ''Literature/TheLightFantastic''.
83	--->"There was even a Weatherwax as Archchancellor, years ago," said Ridcully.\
84	"So I understand. Distant cousin. Never knew him," said Granny.
85	** In ''Literature/TheLastContinent'', Rincewind meets a Bill Rincewind in Fourecks, and the two decide that they must be distant relatives because it's such an uncommon name. It's also been suggested that Rincewind is a descendant of ''Literature/{{Eric}}'''s Lavaeolus, whose name translates to "rinser of winds".
86	* Averted and played with in Allen Steele's ''Literature/{{Coyote}}'' novels: In the first two novels of the series we have Captain Robert E. Lee (who traces ancestry to the old CSA general), who led the first colonial expedition to the planet and became an almost legendary figure in the planet's human history, and [[spoiler:martyr in the resistance war with the [[TheEmpire Western Hemisphere Union]] colonists in the second book]]. Then in ''Coyote Horizon'' we have Sawyer Lee, a wilderness guide, who as far as he knows is no relation to the by-then late Captain Lee but always gets asked that (and notes that the surname coincidence probably helps boost his outfitting business a bit). By that time, there are a few hundred thousand people living on the planet.
87	* ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'':
88	** Justified in most cases by only the feudal nobility having surnames; two identical surnames really means at least some kind of relation. There are distant cadet branches whose relation to the main House no one remembers (such as the Lannisters of Lannisport), but they still are distant relatives and not just guys with the same last name.
89	** Averted with any nobleborn bastards, who are given a surname based on the region they're born in rather than inheriting their parent's name. For example, [[HeroicBastard Jon]] and [[BastardBastard Ramsay]] Snow, the respective bastard sons of Ned Stark and Roose Bolton, are unrelated; they just happen to both have grown up in the North.
90	* In Creator/MichaelMoorcock works, any character with the surname "Beck", "Bek" or "Begg" is a member of the sprawling von Bek family who originally stem from the {{Ruritania}} of Mirenberg, exist across the entire multiverse, and in many male cases are alternate versions of Elric of Melnibone. In some later editions of his early work, Moorcock even retroactively changed character names to add them to the clan.
91	* Averted with lampshade hanging in ''Literature/ChallengesOfTheDeeps'', in which protagonist Ariane Austin is Earth's representative on an alien world. At one point, a minor character whose surname is also Austin gets himself into trouble by being a jerk to some aliens, and the alien leaders are worried this is going to cause a major diplomatic incident until they're assured that he's no relation.
92	* ''Literature/AngelsFlight'': The novel introduces two characters with the surname O'Connor. They aren't related.
93	* ''Literature/HarryPotter'':
94	** There is an infamous {{Aversion}}: the [[Literature/HarryPotterAndTheOrderOfThePhoenix fifth book]] briefly mentions a character named Mark Evans living in Harry's {{Muggle}} neighborhood, and later reveals that "Evans" was also his mother's maiden name. Given the series' love of [[ChekhovsGunman Chekhov's Gunmen]], fans were abuzz about the significance of this until WordOfGod admitted that it wasn't even a RedHerring, she just picked the same fairly-common surname twice without thinking.
95	** The series has many characters, and surnames sometimes repeat without any indication or denial of a relationship: for example, [[https://harrypotter.fandom.com/wiki/Category:Jones_family four "Joneses"]] who are never mentioned together. Though we have WordOfGod that the Goldstein sisters from ''Film/FantasticBeastsAndWhereToFindThem'' are distantly related to minor Ravenclaw character Anthony Goldstein.
96	** Most of the fanbase speculates that Hepzibah and Zacharias Smith are related. Although "Smith" is a ridiculously common surname, the two share a theme of uncommon Biblical names (both with a "z"), and both have a connection to Hufflepuff (Zacharias is a Hufflepuff student, while Hepzibah is apparently descended from her).
97	* In ''Literature/BraveNewWorld,'' two of the main female characters have the surname Crowne, and know each other because their lockers are subsequently next to each other. The narration notes that they're not related--[[FalseUtopia family isn't even a thing in this setting]]--but society has simplified things by only using a relatively small number of surnames.
98	* ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'': when Frodo visits Bree, he introduces himself as "Mr. Underhill" to avoid any villains on the lookout for a "Baggins." Humorously, he then meets an actual Underhill family of hobbits in Bree who immediately welcome him like a long-lost cousin, despite his insistence that they're not related.
99	* ''Literature/WhateleyUniverse'': Lupine's (Stella Woolfe) parents, with surnames of Wolf and Woolfe, were actually members of a long dispersed Native American clan, based around the wolf, and initially thought their similar surnames were just a funny coincidence. But, there are other characters with Wolf-related surnames, who are of unknown relatedness to Lupine, like Techwolf (Harry Wolfe).
100	* ''Literature/RangersApprentice'': [[spoiler:Halt]] immediately knows he and Sean are related because they share a surname: O'Carrick.
101	[[/folder]]
102
103	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
104	* In a latter-season episode of ''Series/ThirtyRock'', Dennis introduces his new wife as "Megan Duffy, maiden name Duffy, hopefully no relation". [[note]]This is also a CallBack to a previous joke in the episode, involving yelling "MEGAN!" at the St. Patrick's Day parade and watching half the dancers suddenly go out of step. [[DontExplainTheJoke The writers believe there are very few Irish names.]] [[/note]]
105	* In one episode of ''Series/{{Bones}}'', Seeley Booth reveals that [[FamousAncestor he's a descendant of]] John Wilkes Booth, the man who murdered UsefulNotes/AbrahamLincoln. [[SinsOfOurFathers The extreme disgrace to the family name]] that Seeley feels this brings is one of the reasons why he became an Army Ranger and later FBIAgent.
106	* Played for extremely creepy drama on the ''Series/CriminalMinds'' episode "Machismo": the B.A.U. agents and the Mexican police are trying to analyze the modus operandi of a SerialKiller that is annihilating old ladies and they discover that the old ladies share the same last names as the victims of some rape cold cases. [[spoiler:Turns out that the man that is killing the old ladies is the rapist that assaulted the women before, and in a combination of devolution in modus operandi, wanting to show WhosLaughingNow at some victims who mocked him, and plain old strong-arming the women to keep quiet, he's going after their mothers.]]
107	* ''Series/TheMillionaire'': In one episode, the titular EccentricMillionaire sends his assistant, Michael Anthony, to deliver a life-changing amount of money to a man named Charles Bradwell, who works at a school. When Mike introduces himself, there's a SustainedMisunderstanding resulting from Bradwell's assumption that he's the father of a student at the school whose name happens to be Henry Anthony. (This also ties into the episode's theme, as Bradwell's big regret that determines how he uses the money is that he has no family of his own.)
108	* In the ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' episode "[[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS3E6BoobyTrap Booby Trap]]", the character of Leah Brahms was originally named "Navid Daystrom", and was intended to be a descendant of Dr. Richard Daystrom from the [[Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries original series]] episode "[[Recap/StarTrekS2E24TheUltimateComputer The Ultimate Computer]]". However, Daystrom is black and the actress hired for the role was white (the casting department wasn't told what race she needed to be). Rather than keep the name and imply that she's an unrelated character who happens to have the same surname, they renamed the character.
109	* In the ''Series/{{Blackadder}} II'' episode "[[Recap/BlackadderS2E2Head Head]]", Ploppy is the jailer and Mrs. Ploppy is the woman who cooks [[LastRequest Last Meals]]. They're unrelated.
110	-->'''Blackadder:''' You are clearly a woman of principle and compassion, mistress...?\
111	'''Mrs Ploppy:''' Ploppy, Sir.\
112	'''Blackadder:''' Ah, so you are married to...\
113	'''Mrs. Ploppy:''' No, many people think that but it's pure coincidence. We did laugh when first we found out. "Good morning mistress Ploppy" he'd say, and I'd say "good morning Mr. Ploppy." ''[both laugh]''\
114	'''Blackadder:''' The long winter evenings must just fly by.
115	* {{Lampshaded}} on ''Series/{{NCIS}}'' when Tony and Kate meet a doctor named Brad Pitt.
116	-->'''Pitt:''' Yes, that's my real name, and no, [[Creator/BradPitt we're]] not related. Wish we were. Love to meet Creator/AngelinaJolie.
117	* ''Series/AllThat'' has a sketch called ''Channel 6 1/2 Sports'', where the co-anchors are named Jack and Mack Takahashi. As Mack is quick to note after introducing himself, they have no relation. Like the Agent Johnsons of ''Film/DieHard'', Jack (played by Creator/KenanThompson) is black and Mack (played by Josh Server) is white.
118	* Parodied on ''Series/LivingSingle'' episode "Likes Father, Likes Son" When Regine lampshades how she unwittingly started dating a father and son in spite of them having different last names, Synclaire dismisses the scenario by bringing up [[Creator/RichardBurton Richard]] and Creator/LeVarBurton.
119	* ''Series/TheWire'': Randy Wagstaff is a middle school student living in a foster home. He doesn't share any scenes with the drug dealer Cheese, but a profile once showed Cheese's real name was "Calvin Wagstaff". The show's staff have confirmed Cheese is indeed Randy's absentee father.
120	* ''Series/{{Luke Cage\|2016}}'': The second season gives us Raymond "Piranha" Jones, alongside returning character from season 1 Comanche, whose legal name is revealed to be Darius Jones. Both are generally referred to by their nicknames, avoiding confusion.
121	[[/folder]]
122
123	[[folder:Music]]
124	* Inverted (exaggeratedly) in the folk song "The Kellys", covered by Mick Moloney among others. The Narrator is seeking his uncle Kelly, but everyone he asks also happens to have that name, despite all being totally unrelated.
125	-->Well, I went and asked directions from a naturalized Chinese,\
126	But he says, "Please, excuse me, but me name it is Kell Lee."
127	* Defied in Music/ChildishGambino's song "Heartbeat", where he says that assuming that Music/JCole is related to Keyshia Cole, just because they have the same last name, is racist.
128	-->J. and Keyshia are related: racist.
129	[[/folder]]
130
131	[[folder:Roleplay]]
132	* ''Roleplay/PanopticonQuest'': The NWO renames its Operatives names that [[ThemeInitials initialise to "JB"]], with certain surnames reflecting where one is in the hierarchy, meaning that Operatives sharing a surname need not be related. It is noted InUniverse that there have been people who made this mistake anyway.
133	[[/folder]]
134
135	[[folder:Theatre]]
136	* Deconstructed in ''Theatre/AvenueQ'' when Princeton asks Kate Monster if she and Trekkie Monster are related, since they're "both Monsters"; Kate finds this incredibly racist, asking him if he thinks [[SameRaceMeansRelated "all monsters are related"]]. Kate and Trekkie are the only named monsters in the play, so it's unclear how widespread the surname "Monster" is, or if indeed all monsters carry it regardless of relation.
137	* Played for surreal effect in ''Theatre/TheBaldSoprano'', which features a character named Mr. Martin and another named Mrs. Martin, who -- despite an absurd amount of evidence suggesting that they're husband and wife -- insist that they've never even met before.
138	* ''Theatre/{{Hamilton}}'': In "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMfcgCyDnS8 Helpless]]", Angelica Schuyler introduces Hamilton to Eliza, who introduces herself as "Elizabeth Schuyler". Hamilton notes their common surname, and Angelica responds that Eliza is her sister.
139	-->'''Eliza:''' Elizabeth Schuyler. It's a pleasure to meet you.\
140	'''Hamilton:''' Schuyler?\
141	'''Angelica:''' My sister.
142	[[/folder]]
143
144	[[folder:Video Games]]
145	* Averted so far in the ''VideoGame/AceCombat'' Strangereal series, where at least three different women have shared both the given, and the family name "Kei Nagase": Phoenix's wingwoman in ''VideoGame/AceCombat2'' (who also makes a brief cameo in ''VideoGame/AceCombat04ShatteredSkies''), an Ouroboros member in ''VideoGame/AceCombat3Electrosphere'', and Blaze's wingwoman in ''VideoGame/AceCombat5TheUnsungWar''. No relation is currently known to exist between the three of them, except that the devs [[AuthorAppeal seem to love that name]].
146	* When Kian's surname was revealed to be "Alvane" in ''VideoGame/DreamfallTheLongestJourney'', long-time series fans immediately picked up on his connection to Lady Alvane, TheNarrator of the original ''VideoGame/TheLongestJourney''. The WildMassGuessing ranged from her being his long-lost mother (or aunt) to them getting married in the future. The mystery was officially settled [[SequelGap ten years later]] in ''VideoGame/DreamfallChapters'', where [[spoiler:Saga gets Kian to adopt her, legally changes her surname to Alvane, and eventually becomes the Lady Alvane from the future whom April meets in the first game thanks to wacky time travel]].
147	* Discussed in ''VideoGame/Persona5'' when the Thieves are given the task of tracking down a girl named "Futaba Sakura". They realize that it's a relatively common last name, but even though it seems like a long shot their only starting point is Sojiro Sakura, [[PlayerCharacter Joker's]] temporary guardian for his probation period. Luckily, that ends up being exactly who they needed to talk to: Sojiro is Futaba's [[HappilyAdopted adoptive father]].
148	* ''VideoGame/ReturnOfTheObraDinn'' does this twice. The two seamen with the last name "Peters" are brothers, and the first mate is the captain's brother-in-law (because the captain is the first person you can identify, and his wife listed her maiden name as a middle name, it's fairly simple to identify him as well).
149	* ''Franchise/SilentHill'' utterly averts this. There are a ''lot'' of unrelated characters in the series who share the same surname. The only ones explicitly related are [[VideoGame/SilentHill2 James]] and [[VideoGame/SilentHill4TheRoom Frank Sunderland]]. They appear in different games and never interact, but are confirmed as son and father.
150	* ''VideoGame/ThisStarryMidnightWeMake'': After the third quest for Yi Xinghua, the Kenpeitai, a.k.a Japanese Military Police, assume, that surname first, Yi Xinghua and Yi Xingli are related, and they are. They're [[spoiler:missing brother and known sister]].
151	[[/folder]]
152
153	[[folder:Visual Novels]]
154	* ''Franchise/AceAttorney'':
155	** ''VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorney'': "Rise From the Ashes" has the name "[[spoiler:Neil Marshall]]" show up as the last victim of the SL-9 Joe Darke serial killings, who Phoenix guesses that he's related to [[spoiler:Jake Marshall. He was his younger brother who died fighting Joe while trying to protect Ema, but despite the case being officially closed, Jake knew there was more to the case, so he was willing to steal evidence before it got archived forever and assault a fellow cop.]]
156	** ''VisualNovel/AceAttorneyInvestigations'' has attorney Calisto Yew, who has the same surname as the victim of a murder. After some initial teasing, she tells Edgeworth that they are sisters. [[spoiler:This turns out to be a lie; "Calisto Yew" is an alias, and her real name is never revealed.]]
157	* In Chapter 2, Part One of ''VisualNovel/YourTurnToDie'', the Reception Doll's name is revealed to be [[spoiler:Gashu Satou, Kai's father]]. The relation is confirmed by [[spoiler:the warning message on Kai's laptop, which refers to his father by name.]]
158	[[/folder]]
159
160	[[folder:Web Animation]]
161	* ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'':
162	** Subverted with Ruby Rose and Yang Xiao Long. They're half-sisters who share a father and were reared by their father, but their surnames are different. Yang is named after their father yet Ruby is named after her mother (and Yang's stepmother).
163	** WordOfGod has confirmed that Lil' Miss Malachite from Volume 6 is the mother of the twins Miltia and Melanie Malachite from the pre-series ''Yellow'' trailer.
164	[[/folder]]
165
166	[[folder:Webcomics]]
167	* ''Webcomic/TheHeroOfThreeFaces'':
168	** [[Franchise/HarryPotter Hermione Granger]] is the niece of [[Series/TheVicarOfDibley Rev Geraldine Granger]].
169	** [[Franchise/{{Superman}} Lois Lane]] and [[Radio/TheShadow Margo Lane]], which suggests some interesting things about heredity in their family.
170	** Spoofed in one comic in which the Doctor states that, in universes where ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'' and ''Series/{{MASH}}'' both exist, the Winchester brothers are related to Major Charles through their ''mother''.
171	* Played with in ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}'': The BigBad of the story is the mysterious time-traveling Lord English. Many fans assumed he was either related to one of the heroes, Jake English, or even that he was Jake's future self. Turns out Lord English is [[spoiler:Caliborn's future self. He took Jake's name as a TakeThat gesture after his first defeat at the hands of Jake... and Jake inherited it from his grandma, who [[StableTimeLoop changed her surname to "English" in defiance to the Condesce, who feared no one but Lord English]].]]
172	* ''Webcomic/StandStillStaySilent'': The reveal that the main cast and members of MissionControl are descended from people seen in the DistantPrologue set JustBeforeTheEnd hinges entirely on the reveal of identical surnames.
173	* Discussed in ''Webcomic/YumisCells''. When Yumi meets her boyfriend Babi's cute new employee, Da Eun, she tries to convince herself that nothing would happen between the two since they share the same surname, and are therefore related and can't romance each other. [[spoiler:However, her fears do eventually come true, as Babi does briefly fall for Da Eun, and after Yumi broke up with him for the second time, he ends up married with her.]]
174	[[/folder]]
175
176	[[folder:Web Video]]
177	* ''WebVideo/{{Petscop}}'' often uses {{Given Name Reveal}}s with the last names "Mark" and "Leskowitz". Of course, given that this is an In-Universe case of both WriteWhoYouKnow and retelling events, this is [[JustifiedTrope justified.]]
178	* Averted in ''WebVideo/{{Gayle}},'' in which Gayle and her husband Dave had the same surname prior to getting married. She insisted on hyphenating anyway, making the family name "[[RepetitiveName Waters-Waters]]."
179	[[/folder]]
180
181	[[folder:Western Animation]]
182	* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'':
183	** In "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS5E4Rosebud Rosebud]]", a {{flashback}} shows that comedian George Burns is Mr. Burns' younger brother. (In actuality, "George Burns" was a stage name he adopted as an adult and his real name was Nathan Birnbaum.)
184	** A flashback in "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS21E13TheColorYellow The Colour Yellow]]" has Burns' grandfather mentioning that his story will one day be told by his descendants, Ric and Creator/KenBurns.
185	** Ralph Wiggum is referenced by the last name Wiggum a few episodes before he is canonically established as Police Chief Wiggum's son. The writers say that this was initially an accident before they realized that the two characters honestly ''seemed'' like they could be related.
186	** In a throwaway gag in "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS22E13TheBlueAndTheGray The Blue and the Gray]]" episode, Lisa suggests buying a supermarket tabloid to see what "[[Music/JessicaSimpson Cousin Jessica]]" is up to.
187	* ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'':
188	** In a brief cutaway in "[[Recap/FamilyGuyS2E11APictureIsWorthAThousandBucks A Picture is Worth a 1,000 Bucks]]", it's revealed that Creator/KathyGriffin (an actress and comedian) is a distant relative of the family through Peter's side.
189	** "[[Recap/FamilyGuyS19E8PawtucketPat Pawtucket Pat]]" has a bit implying that Music/KidRock and [[Wrestling/DwayneJohnson The Rock]] are brothers, where Kid Rock is berated by his fictional father Adult Rock, who remarks "Why can't you be more like your brother The?"[[note]]Kid Rock and The Rock's respective real names are Robert James Ritchie and Dwayne Johnson.[[/note]]
190	* One of the most memorable running gags of ''WesternAnimation/TinyToonAdventures'' was Babs and Buster Bunny saying "No relation!" whenever they introduced themselves, confirming that they were not related despite sharing the same surname. In the ''WesternAnimation/TinyToonsLooniversity'' reboot, [[RelatedInTheAdaptation they have become twin siblings]].
191	* Played with in the ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'' episode "Attack of the Killer Bebes". Dr. Drakken decides to [[ReunionRevenge avenge himself]] on the classmates who'd mocked him in college. It simply does not occur to him that the one surnamed "Possible" is in any way connected to his nemesis Kim Possible, and when he finds out that he's her father, he rather absurdly insists that it's a common surname.
192	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'':
193	** Amy Wong introduces herself in "[[Recap/FuturamaS1E2TheSeriesHasLanded The Series Has Landed]]". Leela immediately, and correctly, guesses that she's from the super-rich "Mars Wongs," despite that being a common surname (though it could be less common in the year 3000) and [[AffluentAscetic nothing about Amy's appearance indicating how well-off she is]].
194	--->'''Amy''': Look, we're not as rich as everyone says.
195	--->'''Leela''': Oh, really? What sorority did you belong to?
196	--->''({{Beat}})''
197	--->'''Amy''': ''(quietly)'' Kappa Kappa Wong.
198	** On the other hand, "[[Recap/FuturamaS3E4TheLuckOfTheFryrish The Luck of the Fryrish]]" reveals that "Philip J. Fry" is a famous historical figure by the year 3000, but for some reason, the other characters never thought to connect him to Philip J. Fry, the show's FishOutOfTemporalWater protagonist. Fry, meanwhile, deduces that his BigBrotherBully must have stolen his identity after he was frozen. [[spoiler:As it turns out, the famous one is actually [[DeadGuyJunior Fry's nephew]].]]
199	--->"Oh, your brother is ''that'' Philip J. Fry?"
200	** Averted with a brief gag in "The Why of Fry" in which Fry has to clarify that he's ''not'' "the Philip J. Fry of Hovering Squid World 97A."
201	** "All the Presidents' Heads" revolves around Professor Farnsworth being a descendant of David Farnsworth, a RealLife Loyalist double agent and counterfeiter during the Revolutionary War. Other historical Farnsworths said to be in his family tree include inventor Philo Farnsworth and naval commander Dean Farnsworth, developer of the Farnsworth Lantern Test.
202	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Young Justice\|2010}}''
203	** Black Lightning's ex-wife, Lynn Stewart-Pierce, is apparently the sister of ComicBook/GreenLantern John Stewart. This is not the case in the comics, where [[https://www.player.one/black-lightning-lynn-stewart-green-lantern-sister-spoilers-123418 her creator toyed around with the possibility of making them related]], but it never wound up happening.)
204	** In a variant: in the comics, Halo's name is Violet Harper, but has no connection to ''ComicBook/GreenArrow'' character Roy Harper. Here, "Violet Harper" is a pseudonym, and he offered up his last name for her to use.
205	* In ''WesternAnimation/CelebrityDeathmatch'', Nick Diamond dispels the apparent rumors that despite having the same ''first'' name as Creator/NickNolte, they aren't related.
206	* The ''WesternAnimation/KingOfTheHill'' episode "Hank Gets Dusted" has [[Music/ZZTop ZZ Top's]] Dusty Hill voicing himself as Hank Hill's cousin.
207	[[/folder]]

Context Main / SameSurnameMeansRelated