View Message

Thank you, that's a great help. I should have thought of looking there first. :)

Very few Afghans have hereditary surnames. If they use a second name it might be a father's given name (patronymic)which is likely to be Islamic, therefore probably Arabic in origin. Alternatively the Pushtun often use a tribal name or a clan name as an additional name. For example Hamid Karzai, the precarious president, belongs to the Pushtun Karzai tribe.
As there are no rules you might find members of the same family using different "surnames".
As for women, if they are still living in Afghanistan they won't need a second name, as the only people who should address them are close relatives. Such is life in free and democratic Afghanistan. If resident in a less restrictive society an Afghan women would probably use a name from a source already mentioned.
I should add that different ethnic groups have different customs. The Tajiks. for instance, will add the name of the valley in which they live if they need a second name, e.g., "Panjsheri".