I require the surname (aka: Last Name) for one simple reason, and that is to know who I ma contacting. The first name is simply not enough. I don’t want to figure out which Joe I need to contact when I have 3 Joes, and yes – that has happened to me. It is nearly impossible to know if I am contacting the correct Joe since I have no other means of identifying them. If we are in communication, I will likely not initiate th call or email to you for the simple fact that you are not in my contacts.
Since you aren’t in my contacts, when you call – I will answer with “Frank Pilone Speaking” rather than responding with your name. This is because I again don’t have you in my contacts. If you were to send me an email?, I will reply, but it would be hard to organize your email since you didn’t provide me with your last name.
As for any concerns with giving me your last name, I am not associated with any social networking site with exception to X, and that is only because my public transit network uses X to relay interruptions. I don’t have Facebook, Linkedin, Instagram, or any other social network. I am not going to hunt you down in social networks to try to learn more about you. If you don’t want to disclose something, I will respect that choice, and will not try to learn more than what you are willing to let me know of.
Providing your surname is easy, just include it with your next IM?, or let me know via email. There is nothing wrong with that. I am willing to give my surname out even though I will never disclose my residence address.