Colonial Period (1600s)
British surnames dominate, such as Smith, Johnson, Williams
🇺🇸 US Surname Statistics
Based on US Census Bureau data, explore America's most common surnames and their origins
About US Surname Statistics
The United States is a multicultural immigrant nation, and its surnames reflect its diverse ethnic composition. The US Census Bureau regularly publishes surname statistics, valuable for genealogy, demographic, and cultural research.
Source: US Census Bureau
Latest data: 2010 Census
Covering ~270 million people
Most Common US Surnames
The top 30 most common surnames in the US based on 2010 Census data:
排名 姓氏 含义 来源 人口 占比
1 Smith Blacksmith England/Scotland 2,442,977 0.881%
2 Johnson Son of John England/Scotland 1,932,812 0.697%
3 Williams Son of William England/Wales 1,625,252 0.586%
4 Brown Brown (hair/complexion) England/Scotland 1,437,026 0.518%
5 Jones Son of John Wales 1,425,470 0.514%
6 Garcia Garcia (Basque) Spain 1,166,120 0.421%
7 Miller Mill operator England/Germany 1,161,437 0.419%
8 Davis Son of David England/Wales 1,116,357 0.403%
9 Rodriguez Son of Rodrigo Spain 1,094,924 0.395%
10 Martinez Son of Martin Spain 1,060,159 0.382%
11 Hernandez Son of Hernando Spain 1,043,281 0.376%
12 Lopez Wolf Spain 874,523 0.315%
13 Gonzalez Son of Gonzalo Spain 841,025 0.303%
14 Wilson Son of Will England 783,051 0.282%
15 Anderson Son of Andrew Scotland/Scandinavia 762,394 0.275%
16 Thomas Twin Wales 756,142 0.273%
17 Taylor Tailor England 720,370 0.260%
18 Moore Marshland England 698,671 0.252%
19 Jackson Son of Jack England 672,095 0.242%
20 Martin Mars (god of war) England/France 672,711 0.243%
21 Lee Meadow/woodland England/China 605,860 0.218%
22 Perez Stone Spain 565,799 0.204%
23 Thompson Son of Tom England 562,862 0.203%
24 White White (hair/complexion) England 543,684 0.196%
25 Harris Son of Harry England 540,850 0.195%
26 Sanchez Holy Spain 527,540 0.190%
27 Clark Priest/scholar England 506,127 0.182%
28 Ramirez Son of Ramiro Spain 502,384 0.181%
29 Lewis Famous warrior Wales 496,872 0.179%
30 Robinson Son of Robert England 489,542 0.177%
Surname Origin Categories
US surnames mainly come from the following categories:
Occupational Surnames
~30% Smith (blacksmith)Taylor (tailor)Baker (baker)Miller (mill operator)Fisher (fisherman)Carpenter (carpenter)
Patronymic Surnames
~25% Johnson (son of John)Williams (son of William)Davis (son of David)Wilson (son of Will)Anderson (son of Andrew)
Geographic Surnames
~20% Hill (hill)Brooks (stream)Woods (forest)Fields (field)Lake (lake)
Descriptive Surnames
~15% Brown (brown)White (white)Long (tall)Short (short)Young (young)
Foreign Surnames
~10% GarciaRodriguezMartinezChenKimNguyen
Distribution by Ethnicity
US surnames reflect the diverse ethnic composition:
European Americans
~60% SmithJohnsonWilliamsBrownJones
Hispanic/Latino
~18% GarciaRodriguezMartinezHernandezLopez
African Americans
~13% WilliamsJohnsonSmithBrownJones
Asian Americans
~6% LeeNguyenChenKimWang
Other Ethnicities
~3% Various origins
Historical Changes
The composition of US surnames has changed with immigration waves:
1
2
Founding Era (1700s)
European immigrants bring more surnames, German and Dutch increase
3
Immigration Wave (1800s)
Irish, Italian, Eastern European surnames flood in
4
Early 20th Century
Asian immigration brings Chinese, Japanese, Korean surnames
5
Modern (post-1965)
Immigration law reform, Latin American and Asian surnames increase significantly
Frequently Asked Questions
❓ What is the most common surname in the US?
According to the 2010 Census, Smith is the most common surname in America, with about 2.44 million people (0.881% of the population).
❓ Why is Smith so common?
Smith (blacksmith) was the most common occupation in medieval England, making it the most prevalent surname. British immigrants brought it to America.
❓ How many different surnames are in the US?
The US has about 6.3 million different surnames, including immigrant surnames from around the world, reflecting America's multicultural character.
❓ Why are Hispanic surnames so common?
Surnames like Garcia, Rodriguez, and Martinez rank high due to the large Hispanic/Latino population, comprising about 18% of the US population.
❓ What are common Asian surnames?
Common Asian surnames include Lee, Nguyen, Chen, Kim, and Wang, reflecting immigration from China, Vietnam, Korea, and other Asian countries.