Most Common Last Names

Although Smith remains the most common surname in America, for the first time two Hispanic names, Garcia and Rodriguez, have joined Smith, Johnson, and Miller in the top ten most common surnames in the nation. In addition, the latest Census Bureau study on surnames in the United States indicates that the number of Hispanic surnames in the top 25 doubled from 1990 to 2000. Garcia jumped from number 18 to number 8 on the list, and Rodriguez moved from 22 to 9. The Hispanic population living in America has grown by 58% since the 1990 census.

The surname Lee also made the top 25 for the first time—ranked number 22 in the country—indicating a rise in the Asian American population. Out of the six million surnames reported in the Census Bureau study, “65% (or 4 million) of all captured last names were held by just one person, and about 80% (or 5 million) were held by no more than 4 people,” demonstrating the United States’ diverse culture.

Visit Family Name Search to discover the meanings and origins of last names.