Special Report

Most Common Last Names in the US

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“What’s in a name?” Shakespeare’s Juliet asked that rhetorical question more than 500 years ago. This question still rings true today in 21st century America. Names tell a story – they can help shed light on heritage as well as on America’s population makeup.

For centuries, people have come to the U.S. to escape war, oppression, and poverty, or to pursue employment opportunities and success. Most Americans can trace their roots to immigrant ancestors. 24/7 Wall St. reviewed Census data to find the 50 most common last names in the U.S.

Today, the vast majority of the most common surnames in the U.S. can be traced back to England and other European origins. Among the top 50 most common surnames, 12 have Spanish, Cuban, or Mexican heritage.

The rise in Spanish surnames makes some people uncomfortable, a fact President Donald Trump tapped into in his presidential campaign. For a country built on immigration, fear of immigrants has somehow been a recurring theme.

All 12 Spanish-origin names found on this list have dramatically increased since they were last counted in 2000 — a stark contrast to English names that are mostly growing at a slower pace.

Do you think your last name made the list?

Click here to see the most common last names in the U.S.

To determine the most common surnames in the United States, 24/7 Wall St. analyzed past and present census counts to understand population diversity in America. The origin of each family name was obtained from open data on Ancestry.com. Photos of celebrities, well-known historical figures, areas of a name’s heritage, or imagery reflecting origin were used to represent each name.

David Shankbone / Flickr

50. Roberts
> Occurrences per 100,000 people: 127.7
> Total occurrences: 376,774
> Growth since 2000: 2.8%
> Heritage: England

 

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U.S. DefenseImagery / Wikimedia Commons

49. Carter
> Occurrences per 100,000 people: 127.8
> Total occurrences: 376,966
> Growth since 2000: 3.8%
> Heritage: England

US DHS / Wikimedia Commons

48. Mitchell
> Occurrences per 100,000 people: 130.3
> Total occurrences: 384,486
> Growth since 2000: 4.4%
> Heritage: England, Ireland

University of Salford Press Office / Flickr

47. Campbell
> Occurrences per 100,000 people: 130.9
> Total occurrences: 386,157
> Growth since 2000: 3.7%
> Heritage: Ireland, Scotland, England

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Mark Taylor / Flickr

46. Rivera
> Occurrences per 100,000 people: 132.6
> Total occurrences: 391,114
> Growth since 2000: 23.4%
> Heritage: Spain

Matthew Becker / Wikimedia Commons

45. Hall
> Occurrences per 100,000 people: 138.0
> Total occurrences: 407,076
> Growth since 2000: -16.3%
> Heritage: England

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MC2 Erica R. Gardner, USN / Wikimedia Commons

44. Baker
> Occurrences per 100,000 people: 142.2
> Total occurrences: 419,586
> Growth since 2000: 1.5%
> Heritage: England

Bob Jagendorf / Wikimedia Commons

43. Nelson
> Occurrences per 100,000 people: 144.1
> Total occurrences: 424,958
> Growth since 2000: 3.0%
> Heritage: Sweden

White House research / Wikimedia Commons

42. Adams
> Occurrences per 100,000 people: 145.1
> Total occurrences: 427,865
> Growth since 2000: 3.5%
> Heritage: England

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Mike Douglas Show/ Wikimedia Commons

41. Green
> Occurrences per 100,000 people: 145.8
> Total occurrences: 430,182
> Growth since 2000: 3.9%
> Heritage: England, Ireland

JessicaPinney / Wikimedia Commons

40. Flores
> Occurrences per 100,000 people: 147.1
> Total occurrences: 433,969
> Growth since 2000: 28.0%
> Heritage: Spain, France, Mexico

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The Come Up Show / Wikimedia Commons

39. Hill
> Occurrences per 100,000 people: 147.4
> Total occurrences: 434,827
> Growth since 2000: 5.3%
> Heritage: England

Thinkstock

38. Nguyen
> Occurrences per 100,000 people: 148.4
> Total occurrences: 437,645
> Growth since 2000: 29.1%
> Heritage: Vietnam

Christopher Johnson / Wikimedia Commons

37. Torres
> Occurrences per 100,000 people: 148.4
> Total occurrences: 437,813
> Growth since 2000: 25.7%
> Heritage: Spain

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Thinkstock

36. Scott
> Occurrences per 100,000 people: 149.0
> Total occurrences: 439,530
> Growth since 2000: 4.4%
> Heritage: England, Ireland, Scotland

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

35. Wright
> Occurrences per 100,000 people: 155.6
> Total occurrences: 458,980
> Growth since 2000: 4.1%
> Heritage: England

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Heinrich Klaffs / Wikimedia Commons

34. King
> Occurrences per 100,000 people: 157.8
> Total occurrences: 465,422
> Growth since 2000: 5.7%
> Heritage: Ireland, England

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

33. Allen
> Occurrences per 100,000 people: 163.6
> Total occurrences: 482,607
> Growth since 2000: 4.0%
> Heritage: England, Ireland

Yoichi Okamoto / Wikimedia Commons

32. Young
> Occurrences per 100,000 people: 164.2
> Total occurrences: 484,447
> Growth since 2000: 3.8%
> Heritage: England, Scotland, Ireland

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Mathew Brady / Wikimedia Commons

31. Walker
> Occurrences per 100,000 people: 177.3
> Total occurrences: 523,129
> Growth since 2000: 4.2%
> Heritage: England, Ireland, Scotland

Library of Congress / Wikimedia Commons

30. Robinson
> Occurrences per 100,000 people: 179.6
> Total occurrences: 529,821
> Growth since 2000: 5.1%
> Heritage: England

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Genvessel / Wikimedia Commons

29. Lewis
> Occurrences per 100,000 people: 180.3
> Total occurrences: 531,781
> Growth since 2000: 4.1%
> Heritage: England

Keith Allison / Wikimedia Commons

28. Ramirez
> Occurrences per 100,000 people: 189.0
> Total occurrences: 557,423
> Growth since 2000: 30.2%
> Heritage: Spain, Cuba

Edgar Samuel Paxson / Wikimedia Commons

27. Clark
> Occurrences per 100,000 people: 190.8
> Total occurrences: 562,679
> Growth since 2000: 2.5%
> Heritage: England, Ireland

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U.S. Congress/ Wikimedia Commons

26. Sanchez
> Occurrences per 100,000 people: 207.7
> Total occurrences: 612,752
> Growth since 2000: 28.0%
> Heritage: Spain

vagueonthehow / Flickr

25. Harris
> Occurrences per 100,000 people: 211.6
> Total occurrences: 624,252
> Growth since 2000: 4.9%
> Heritage: England

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State Farm / Flickr

24. White
> Occurrences per 100,000 people: 223.9
> Total occurrences: 660,491
> Growth since 2000: 3.2%
> Heritage: England, Ireland

thierry ehrmann / Flickr

23. Thompson
> Occurrences per 100,000 people: 225.3
> Total occurrences: 664,644
> Growth since 2000: 3.1%
> Heritage: England, Ireland, Scotland

Eva Rinaldi / Wikimedia Commons

22. Perez
> Occurrences per 100,000 people: 231.1
> Total occurrences: 681,645
> Growth since 2000: 28.3%
> Heritage: Spain

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Ron Cogswell / Flickr

21. Lee
> Occurrences per 100,000 people: 234.9
> Total occurrences: 693,023
> Growth since 2000: 12.6%
> Heritage: England, Ireland

Gage Skidmore/ Wikimedia Commons

20. Martin
> Occurrences per 100,000 people: 238.2
> Total occurrences: 702,625
> Growth since 2000: 4.3%
> Heritage: Ireland, England

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Library of Congress / Wikimedia Commons

19. Jackson
> Occurrences per 100,000 people: 240.1
> Total occurrences: 708,099
> Growth since 2000: 5.9%
> Heritage: England, Ireland

CHF videographer / Wikimedia Commons

18. Moore
> Occurrences per 100,000 people: 245.6
> Total occurrences: 724,374
> Growth since 2000: 3.5%
> Heritage: Ireland, England

Kentucky National Guard Public Affairs Office / Flickr

17. Taylor
> Occurrences per 100,000 people: 254.7
> Total occurrences: 751,209
> Growth since 2000: 4.1%
> Heritage: England, Ireland

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Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

16. Thomas
> Occurrences per 100,000 people: 256.3
> Total occurrences: 756,142
> Growth since 2000: 6.0%
> Heritage: England

Smithsonian Institution / Flickr

15. Anderson
> Occurrences per 100,000 people: 265.9
> Total occurrences: 784,404
> Growth since 2000: 2.8%
> Heritage: Sweden

 

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Harris & Ewing / Wikimedia Commons

14. Wilson
> Occurrences per 100,000 people: 271.8
> Total occurrences: 801,882
> Growth since 2000: 2.3%
> Heritage: England, Ireland, Scotland

Thinkstock

13. Gonzalez
> Occurrences per 100,000 people: 285.1
> Total occurrences: 841,025
> Growth since 2000: 28.9%
> Heritage: Spain

Gage Skidmore / Flickr

12. Lopez
> Occurrences per 100,000 people: 296.5
> Total occurrences: 874,523
> Growth since 2000: 28.9%
> Heritage: Spain

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Charles Fenderich / Wikimedia Commons

11. Hernandez
> Occurrences per 100,000 people: 353.7
> Total occurrences: 1,043,281
> Growth since 2000: 32.3%
> Heritage: Spain

Thinkstock

10. Martinez
> Occurrences per 100,000 people: 359.4
> Total occurrences: 1,060,159
> Growth since 2000: 26.9%
> Heritage: Spain

 

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Keith Allison / Flickr

9. Rodriguez
> Occurrences per 100,000 people: 371.2
> Total occurrences: 1,094,924
> Growth since 2000: 26.5%
> Heritage: Spain

Library of Congress / Wikimedia Commons

8. Davis
> Occurrences per 100,000 people: 378.5
> Total occurrences: 1,116,357
> Growth since 2000: 3.9%
> Heritage: England, Ireland

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

7. Miller
> Occurrences per 100,000 people: 393.7
> Total occurrences: 1,161,437
> Growth since 2000: 2.9%
> Heritage: Germany, England

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Mireille Ampilhac / Wikimedia Commons

6. Garcia
> Occurrences per 100,000 people: 395.3
> Total occurrences: 1,166,120
> Growth since 2000: 26.4%
> Heritage: Spain

Sean P. Anderson / Flickr

5. Jones
> Occurrences per 100,000 people: 483.2
> Total occurrences: 1,425,470
> Growth since 2000: 4.4%
> Heritage: England, Wales, Ireland

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Marion S. Trikosko / Wikimedia Commons

4. Brown
> Occurrences per 100,000 people: 487.2
> Total occurrences: 1,437,026
> Growth since 2000: 4.0%
> Heritage: England, Ireland

Edwin Martinez / Wikimedia Commons

3. Williams
> Occurrences per 100,000 people: 551.0
> Total occurrences: 1,625,252
> Growth since 2000: 5.6%
> Heritage: England, Wales

Yoichi Okamoto / Wikimedia Commons

2. Johnson
> Occurrences per 100,000 people: 655.2
> Total occurrences: 1,932,812
> Growth since 2000: 3.9%
> Heritage: Sweden, England

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Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

1. Smith
> Occurrences per 100,000 people: 828.2
> Total occurrences: 2,442,977
> Growth since 2000: 2.7%
> Heritage: England

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