Garcia: A Spanish or Basque patronymic surname that derives from an ancient and now-forgotten first name.Jones: An English and Welsh surname meaning “God’s grace.”.Brown: A surname of English, Scottish, and Irish origins meaning “brown hair or dark skin.”.Williams: An English and Welsh surname meaning “son of William.”.Johnson: A surname of English and Scottish origins meaning “son of John.”.Smith: An English last name meaning “a blacksmith.”.Smith is the most common last name in the United States, according to the Census Bureau.Īs of 2023, the most common surnames in the U.S. List of 10 Most Common Last Names in the United States An example of a patronage surname could be Kilpatrick, which in Irish means a follower of Patrick. Names that signify patronage honor a specific patron or important figure that provides support to a person. Famously, England's royal family adopted their surname from the Windsor estate. Estate NamesĪristocratic families often got their last names from the names of castles or large estates. Some geographic names are Books, Ridge, Wood, and Moore. Similar to place names, many last names came from the surrounding geographic features where early families lived. Some examples of characteristic surnames include Short, Long, Green, and Swift. These nicknames indicated a physical quality or aspect of someone's personality. Some surnames were based on a person's appearance or characteristics. So if your family name is something like Cook, Baker, or Brewster, it could indicate what your ancestors used to do for work! 4. A common last name like Smith originally comes from the blacksmith profession. Occupational names were used to identify people who did specific jobs. Some popular name examples include Hampshire, Beckham, and Sutton. Place NamesĮspecially in the UK, common last names were taken from the names of towns and places. Some examples of patronymic last names include Benson, Robertson, and Wilson. Many surnames are simply versions of your father's or mother's name. Most surnames and family names with English roots tend to fall into at least one of these seven name categories: Read More: Last Names By Country of Origin The 7 Types of English SurnamesĮuropean surnames derive mainly from seven different factors. Recently, many new parents are even choosing traditional last names as first names for their baby girls and baby boys.

Many of these last names have roots in Old English because of the time and place where family names developed. We also see a lot of occupational names like Miller, Smith, and Taylor. Last Names Represent Someone’s Role in Society These names are known as patronymics, which means 'named for the father'. 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'. Last Names Show Family Connections and Lineage 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.” 2. Last Names Indicate Birthplace or Origin.Last name meanings provide information about a person's home, family members, and role in society. Last names originated as populations grew, and we needed to identify people more specifically. For thousands of years, people were referred to by their given names only. And while you're at it, remember to think about what initials your little one will have too. 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. The old marriage practice of women changing their maiden names to take on their husbands' last names is still very common. Today, surnames still symbolize important family connections, genealogy, and bonds within a group of people. Using assigned names to identify a person's tribe, community, or genetic lineage goes back to ancient times.Īccording to historical sources, surnames were first used in China in 2852 BC to simplify collecting census information. Last names, or family names, have a long cultural heritage behind them. Try it: Look Up The Meaning and Origins of Your Last Name! History of Last Names With it, you can browse surnames from A to Z and find out a little bit about your own family history.ĭon’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. We have created a tool for you to look up the meaning and origin of your last name. Last Name Generator (Meanings and Origins) A baby name should pair well with the surname that follows it. 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.

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