One group of these entities are thought to arise from parts in medieval passion plays, which were locally hereditary, such as "Maiden" and "Death." In Quebec, examples of these entities were once preceded by the word "dit" as in "one says," in which case they often to refer to geographic features. The diffusion of these entities is nearly always a state-led enterprise to facilitate taxation, as the spread of their use in 
One group of these entities are thought to arise from parts in medieval passion plays, which were locally hereditary, such as "Maiden" and "Death." In Quebec, examples of these entities were once preceded by the word "dit" as in "one says," in which case they often to refer to geographic features. The diffusion of these entities is nearly always a state-led enterprise to facilitate taxation, as the spread of their use in medieval England was broadly from south to north and from upper classes to lower, in line with the population's interaction with officialdom as it expanded. A Prussian state edict of 1812 offered full citizenship to Jews on the condition they take on one of these entities, and over the course of the nineteenth century that emancipatory tendency was replaced by the requirement that Jews assume one from a closed list, such as "Rubenstein" or "Hirsch." For 10 points, what is this identifier, the most common of which is "Smith" in the US?
One group of these entities are thought to arise from parts in medieval passion plays, which were locally hereditary, such as "Maiden" and "Death."
{last names} (accept equivalents, including {surnames})