What was C.S. Lewis’s surname at birth?

C.S. Lewis’s surname at birth was Lewis.

Lewis was born Clive Staples Lewis on 29 November 1898 in Belfast. “Clive” was his first given name, “Staples” was a family name, and Lewis was his surname. He later became widely known by his initials, C.S. Lewis, rather than by his first name.

As a child, Lewis adopted the nickname “Jack,” a name that remained associated with him throughout his life. Friends and colleagues generally called him Jack Lewis. The nickname came after the death of a childhood dog named Jacksie, although the details of its adoption are often summarized differently in popular biographies.

The initials can lead readers to mistake Staples for his surname. In standard English naming order, however, “Clive Staples Lewis” places Lewis last. His brother Warren also used the family surname Lewis and later published biographical and historical work about his brother.