A patronymic, or patronym, is a part of a personal name that comes from the given name of someone's father, grandfather, or an earlier male ancestor. It is the male version of a matronymic.
Patronymics are used in many countries worldwide. Examples this are English surnames such as Johnson (son of John).
References
↑Willy van Langendonck. 2007. Theory and Typology of Proper Names. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter, p. 275.
↑Eichler, Ernst et al. (eds.). 1995. Namenforschung. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter, p. 488.
↑"patronym, n."; "patronymic, n. and adj.", OED Online (3rd edition). March 2018. Oxford University Press.