How much do you know about your last name? Once it's time to give your baby a first name, you may become more interested in the origin of your family name. A baby name should pair well with the surname that follows it.
History of Last Names
Last names, or family names, have a long cultural heritage behind them. Using assigned names to identify a person's tribe, community, or genetic lineage goes back to ancient times.
According to historical sources, surnames were first used in China in 2852 B.C. to simplify collecting census information.
Today, surnames still symbolize important family connections, genealogy, and bonds within a group of people. The old marriage practice of women changing their maiden names to take on their husbands' last names is still very common.
Perhaps you'd like to find a given name from your own family history, or maybe you just want to make sure the names flow and sound good together. And while you're at it, remember to think about what initials your little one will have too.
Names and Suffixes
Sometimes you’ll see a surname followed by a suffix, such as Jr. or Sr. The suffix Jr. stands for Junior, and it signifies that you are a boy or man named with your father’s full name.
The suffix Sr. stands for Senior, and it signifies that you have named a son after yourself. Generally, it is the firstborn son who receives this honorific. For example, a father and son pair might be John William Smith Sr. and John William Smith Jr.
If subsequent generations are named after the patriarch, they are given the suffixes III (the third), IV (the fourth), and so on. John William Smith’s firstborn son could be named John William Smith III.
Why Do We Have Last Names?
People didn't always have last names. For thousands of years, people were referred to by their given names only.
Last names originated as populations grew, and we needed to identify people more specifically. Last name meanings provide information about a person's home, family members, and role in society.
- Last Names Indicate Birthplace or Origin: Sometimes people were specified by listing the town they lived in after their name, such as "William of Elmwood." These place names developed into last names over generations, becoming “William Elmwood.”
- Last Names Show Family Connections and Lineage: However, as populations grew, there might have been five or ten different Williams in a single town, but only one who was "John's son", so he'd be called, "William, John's son". Thereby, the last name Johnson was born. These names are known as patronymics, which means "named for the father".
- Last Names Represent Someone’s Role in Society: We also see a lot of occupational names like Miller, Smith, and Taylor. Many of these last names have roots in Old English because of the time and place where family names developed.
Recently, many new parents have even been choosing traditional last names as first names for their baby girls and baby boys.
The 7 Types of English Surnames
European surnames derive mainly from seven different factors. Most surnames and family names with English roots tend to fall into at least one of these seven name categories:
- Patronymic or Matronymic Names: Many surnames are simply versions of your father's or mother's name. Some examples of patronymic last names include Benson, Robertson, and Wilson.
- Place Names: Especially in the UK, common last names were taken from the names of towns and places. Some popular name examples include Hampshire, Beckham, and Sutton.
- Occupational Names: Occupational names were used to identify people who did specific jobs. A common last name like Smith originally comes from the blacksmith profession. So, if your family name is something like Cook, Baker, or Brewster, it could indicate what your ancestors used to do for work!
- Characteristic Names: Some surnames are based on a person's appearance or characteristics. These nicknames indicated a physical quality or aspect of someone's personality. Some examples of characteristic surnames include Short, Long, Green, and Swift.
- Geographic Surnames: Similar to place names, many last names came from the surrounding geographic features where early families lived. Some geographic names are Brooks, Ridge, Wood, and Moore.
- Estate Surnames: Aristocratic families often got their last names from the names of castles or large estates. Famously, England's royal family adopted their surname from the Windsor estate.
- Patronage Surnames: Names that signify patronage honor a specific patron or important figure that provides support to a person. An example of a patronage surname could be Kilpatrick, which in Irish means a follower of Patrick.
Most Popular Last Names A to Z
Throughout the Western region, we see plenty of Hispanic family names, reflecting the diverse makeup of the United States. The most common surnames in Spanish include Garcia, Rodriguez, and Hernandez.
Torres and Gonzales are two other frequent surnames used among Hispanic and Portuguese populations, and Nguyen is a Vietnamese family name seen quite often around the world.
Scottish and Welsh names also show up throughout the United States because of our country's early immigration history. If your family tree goes back to some of the earliest days of European immigration to the U.S., you’re likely to have one of the surnames found in this list of last names.
10 Most Common Last Names in the United States
Smith is the most common last name in the United States, according to the Census Bureau.
As of the latest data from 2023, the most common surnames in the U.S. are:
- Smith - An English last name meaning “a blacksmith.”
- Johnson - A surname of English and Scottish origins meaning “son of John.”
- Williams - An English and Welsh surname meaning “son of William.”
- Brown - A surname of English, Scottish, and Irish origins meaning “brown hair or dark skin.”
- Jones - An English and Welsh surname meaning “God’s grace.”
- Garcia - A Spanish or Basque patronymic surname that derives from an ancient and now-forgotten first name.
- Miller - An English and Scottish occupational surname meaning “miller.”
- Davis - An English and Welsh surname meaning “beloved.”
- Rodriguez - A Spanish surname meaning “Rodrigo’s family.”
- Martinez - A Spanish surname meaning “Martin’s family.”
Uncommon Last Names and Meanings
Some unique last names are more modern or rare. For many people having a more uncommon last name may be exciting or frustrating if it’s often difficult to pronounce for others.
Do you see your name on this list of unique last names?
- Affinito - Italian, meaning: perfected, completed, done.
- Borseth - Norse, meaning: stronghold.
- Lista - Galician, meaning: from Lista.
- Maruska - Czech, meaning: Maria.
- Weldon - Old English, meaning from the springs.
Cool Last Names and Meanings
We know you don’t generally pick your last name, but we have to admit, these names are just kind of awesome. Whether they reference someone famous and fabulous or their meaning is just plain cool, these are definitely some of our chosen stage-last-names.
- Armstrong - Old English, meaning: strong-armed warrior.
- Bardot - French, meaning: from Bardot.
- Boone - Latin, meaning: good.
- Hendrix - Old English: Lord’s Manor.
- Monroe - Irish, the mouth of the Roe River.
- Thatcher - Old English, roof-fixer.
Search for the Origin of Your Last Name
If reading this article has left you itching to know where your last name comes from and what its meaning is, try searching our database of surnames!
Unlike first names, which are often unique, last names tell a story. Are you a Garcia, a Nguyen, or a Zielinski?
Or perhaps your family name is far less common. You can learn a lot about your family history by tracing the meaning of your last name as well as other surnames in your lineage. You might learn about the occupations your ancestors held or what towns they hailed from!
Last names change through generations when children are given a surname by one of their parents.
Use our Last Name Search Tool to look up your mother’s maiden name or a last name that your cousin ended up with. Surnames are a fun gateway to doing genealogy research or learning about your family tree!
Don’t believe we’ll have your surname on the list? We challenge you to give it a search! We have put together a list that includes even the most unique surnames, from Aaberg to Zappa.
