Over here, there is no difference between "last name" and "family name". IME, it's more common to refer to it as "last name" than "family name", so if the distinction you made is correct, then "last name starts with a 'V'" is also correct. Perhaps they should've specified "last name" instead of just saying "name", which could be interpreted as "family name".
It's a completely different construction than most Americans deal with every day of their lives.
Besides, I would expect a sign-up list like you described to be sorted and split up by a computer, which, unless specifically coded, would simply sort by the last name, without considering that some names have to be sorted by another field (unless whoever wrote the database considered adding "family name" or "sort name", and whoever entered the data did so properly). If I'm correct in assuming the DragonCon was in America (I googled and saw it was being held in Atlanta, but I didn't delve into the history), then I would've rather expected it... |
