Slovenian researchers of family names distinguish family names by origin into those that originated from first names, from nicknames, from characteristics of individuals and families, from occupations and activities of individuals, from plant and animal names, and from the names of regions and settlements.
Slovenski raziskovalci priimkov delijo priimke po nastanku na priimke, nastale iz rojstnih imen, iz vzdevkov, lastnosti posameznikov in rodbin, iz poklicev in dejavnosti, s katero so se ukvarjali posamezniki, iz poimenovanj živali in rastlin, iz ledinskih, pokrajinskih, etničnih imen ter imen krajev.