Your last name is a tiny piece of history you carry around every day. Smith once meant a blacksmith at the forge, Johnson literally meant “son of John,” and names like Garcia and Nguyen tell stories that stretch across whole countries and centuries.
This list rounds up 100 of the most common last names from around the world, with the origin behind each one. You will see occupational names tied to old trades, patronymic names built from an ancestor’s first name, and place-based names that point back to a village, river, or field.
Scroll through to find the meaning behind a familiar surname, or just to see how many everyday names started as a job, a father, or a spot on the map.
100 Common Last Names from Around the Globe
These are some of the most popular last names internationally. How many have you heard before?
- Adams: An Anglo-Saxon surname meaning “son of Adam,” after the popular name meaning “earth” or “man.”
- Ahmed: An Arabic given and last name meaning “to thank, to praise,” also spelled Ahmad.
- Ali: An Arabic given and family name meaning “high, lofty, exalted,” carried across the Muslim world and famously by boxer Muhammad Ali.
- Allen: A Celtic surname meaning “harmony,” “handsome,” and “little rock,” also spelled Alan or MacAllen.
- Anderson: A Scottish and English patronymic meaning “son of Andrew,” from the Greek Andreas, “manly” or “brave.”
- Baker: An Anglo-Saxon occupational surname for a baker, from the Old English “baecere.”
- Bernard: A strong Germanic surname and given name meaning “hardy, brave,” and “bear-like.”
- Black: An English descriptive surname for someone with dark hair or a dark complexion, from the Old English “blaec.”
- Brown: An English and Scottish descriptive surname for someone with brown hair or a tanned complexion, one of the most common surnames in the English-speaking world.
- Campbell: A Gaelic entry among popular last names beginning with C, meaning “crooked mouth.”
- Carter: An English occupational surname for someone who drove or built carts, recorded in England as far back as the 1190s.
- Chand: A Sanskrit first and last name meaning “moon.”
- Chen: A common Chinese surname meaning “to display” or “old,” taken from the ancient state of Chen.
- Clark: Or Clarke, derived from the Latin “clericus,” meaning “secretary, clerk.”
- Collins: An Anglo-Saxon surname meaning “son of Colin,” a pet form of Nicholas; an Irish branch descends from O Coileain.
- Davies: Or Davis, a Welsh patronymic meaning “son of David,” one of the most common surnames in Wales.
- Devi: Common across India, this surname is widely used by Hindu women and means “goddess” in Sanskrit.
- Dubois: A French surname meaning “of the wood” or “from the forest,” also written Du Bois and common in French Canada.
- Evans: Meaning “son of Evan,” this surname comes from the Welsh male name, meaning “God is gracious.”
- Fernández: Means “son of Fernando,” a Spanish form of Ferdinand, meaning “brave traveler.”
- García: One of the most common surnames in the Spanish-speaking world, possibly of Basque origin meaning “young” or “bear.”
- González: One of the most common surnames in Spain and Latin America, meaning “son of Gonzalo,” a name tied to battle.
- Green: An English surname for someone who lived beside a village green, sometimes spelled Greene.
- Hall: A common English surname for someone who lived or worked at a manor hall, from the Old English “heall.”
- Hansen: A Scandinavian patronymic meaning “son of Hans,” a form of Johannes, and one of the most common surnames in Denmark and Norway.
- Harris: An English surname meaning “son of Harry,” a medieval form of Henry, with Harrison as a close relative.
- Hernández: Means “son of Hernando,” a Spanish surname from the same stem as the Germanic name Ferdinand.
- Hughes: A Gaelic surname meaning “son of Hugh,” itself meaning “heart, spirit,” or “fire.”
- Ivanov: Meaning “son of Ivan,” Ivanov relates to the biblical John. It is one of Russia’s most common last names.
- Jackson: An English patronymic meaning “son of Jack,” itself a nickname for John.
- Jenkins: A surname of Welsh and Cornish use meaning “little John” or “son of John.”
- Johnson: An English and Scottish patronymic meaning “son of John,” among the most common surnames in the United States.
- Johnston: A Scottish surname meaning “John’s town,” originally from places in the Scottish Borders.
- Jones: Another English surname meaning “son of John,” after the biblical first name meaning “God is gracious.”
- Kaur: A name carried by Sikh women, from Sanskrit and often translated as “princess” or “lioness.”
- Kelly: Derived from the Irish girl name Ceallaigh, with the cute meaning of “bright-headed.”
- Khan: A title turned surname of Central and South Asian origin, meaning “ruler” or “leader” and heard worldwide.
- Kim: The most frequently heard Korean last name, meaning “gold.”
- King: A regal surname from the Old English word “cyning,” meaning “king.”
- Kumar: A Sanskrit surname and given name meaning “prince,” “boy,” or “son,” very common across India.
- Lee: An English surname from the Old English “leah,” a woodland clearing, and also a separate, very common Korean surname.
- Lewis: A common surname in England and Wales with Welsh, Norman, and Germanic roots, often linked to Llywelyn or Louis.
- Li: One of the most common surnames in the world, this Chinese name means “plum” or “plum tree.”
- Lin: A Chinese surname heard throughout Asia, meaning “forest” or “woods.”
- Liu: A common Chinese surname borne by several imperial dynasties, including the Han, with an archaic sense linked to a battle-axe.
- López: A Spanish patronymic meaning “son of Lope,” from the Latin “lupus,” meaning “wolf.”
- MacDonald: A Scottish boy’s name meaning “son of Donald,” taken from Domhnall, meaning “ruler of the world.”
- Martin: The most common surname in France, meaning “son of Martin,” a name derived from Mars, the Roman god of war.
- Martínez: A Spanish patronymic meaning “son of Martin,” among the most common surnames in Spain and Mexico.
- McLaughlin: An Irish surname meaning “son of Lochlann,” a name pointing to the land of the lakes or to Scandinavia.
- Miller: An English occupational surname for someone who worked a grain mill, one of the most common trade-based names.
- Mohamed: A common Arabic given and family name meaning “praiseworthy,” also spelled Muhammad, Mohammed, or Muhamad.
- Moore: A Middle English surname for someone who lived beside a moor or open heath; an Irish line comes from O Mordha.
- Müller: The most common surname in Germany, an occupational name meaning “miller.”
- Murphy: The most popular of Irish last names, meaning “descendant of Murchadh” or “sea warrior.”
- Nelson: An English and Scottish patronymic meaning “son of Neil,” a name read as “champion,” and borne by Admiral Horatio Nelson.
- Nguyen: The most popular Vietnamese surname, referring to the lute-like musical instrument.
- Nowak: The most common surname in Poland, meaning “newcomer” or “new person,” spelled Novak elsewhere in Europe.
- Oliver: A given name and surname meaning “olive tree,” a symbol of peace, with possible Norse roots in Olaf.
- Olsen: A Scandinavian patronymic meaning “son of Ole,” a form of the Norse name Olaf, common in Norway and Denmark.
- Parker: An English occupational surname for a gamekeeper who looked after a nobleman’s park.
- Patel: One of the most common Indian surnames, especially in Gujarat, meaning “village landowner” or “headman.”
- Phillips: Or Philips, meaning “son of Phillip,” after the Greek-rooted male name meaning “lover of horses.”
- Prasad: An Indian given name and surname meaning “gift” or “grace,” referring to food blessed and offered to a deity.
- Quinn: An Irish surname from O Cuinn, “descendant of Conn,” a name meaning “chief” or “wisdom.”
- Roberts: Means “son of Robert” in English, from the Germanic male name, Hrodebert meaning “bright fame.”
- Robinson: An English patronymic meaning “son of Robin,” a pet form of Robert, “bright fame.”
- Rodríguez: A Spanish patronymic meaning “son of Rodrigo,” from the Germanic Roderick, “famous ruler.”
- Rossi: Italy’s most popular surname, meaning “red.”
- Ryan: An Irish surname and given name from O Riain, often read as “little king” or “descendant of Rian.”
- Santos: A Spanish and Portuguese surname meaning “saints,” often given to a child born on a saint’s day; also seen as dos Santos.
- Satō: The most common Japanese surname, composed of elements meaning “help” and “wisteria.”
- Schmidt: A German occupational surname meaning “blacksmith,” the German counterpart of Smith.
- Scott: A surname for someone from Scotland or a Gaelic speaker, common in both Scotland and northern England.
- Silva: The most common surname in Portugal and Brazil, from the Latin “silva,” meaning “forest” or “woodland.”
- Singh: A surname from the Sanskrit “simha,” meaning “lion,” carried by Sikh men and many Rajput families.
- Smirnov: One of the most common surnames in Russia, from a root meaning “quiet” or “gentle.”
- Smith: The most common surname in the United States and the United Kingdom, an occupational name for a metalworker or blacksmith.
- Sousa: A common Portuguese surname taken from the Sousa River in northern Portugal.
- Stewart: A regal Scottish last name meaning “steward,” also sometimes spelled Stuart.
- Taylor: An English occupational surname for a tailor, from the Old French “tailleur.”
- Thomas: A widespread surname from the given name Thomas, Aramaic for “twin,” especially common in Wales.
- Thompson: Or Thomson, an English surname meaning “son of Thomas.”
- Torres: A Spanish and Portuguese surname meaning “towers,” given to someone who lived near a tower or fortress.
- Tremblay: A French surname common in Canada, referring to the beautiful aspen trees.
- Turner: An English occupational surname for a craftsman who shaped wood or metal on a lathe.
- Walker: An English occupational surname for a fuller, who trod cloth to clean and thicken it.
- Walsh: A common Irish surname meaning “Welshman” or “foreigner,” given to settlers of British origin.
- Wang: The most common surname in the world, this Chinese name means “king.”
- Watson: A cool surname meaning “son of Walter,” a Germanic-rooted name meaning “army ruler.”
- White: An English descriptive surname for someone with fair hair or a pale complexion, from the Old English “hwit.”
- Williams: A medieval surname from the popular Germanic given name William, meaning “warrior, protector.”
- Wilson: An English and Scottish patronymic meaning “son of Will,” a short form of William.
- Wood: An English surname for someone who lived or worked in or near a forest.
- Wright: An English occupational surname from the Old English “wryhta,” a maker or craftsman, often a carpenter.
- Wu: A common Chinese surname taken from the ancient state of Wu.
- Xu: Or Hsu, a Chinese surname after the ancient state of Xu, with various meanings including “slow, calm” and “permit.”
- Yang: A common Chinese surname meaning “poplar” or “willow,” also the imperial name of the Sui dynasty.
- Young: An English and Scottish surname from the Old English “geong,” used to mark the younger of two people sharing a name.
- Zhao: A common Chinese surname and the royal name of the Song dynasty, with an old sense of moving swiftly.
Common Last Names FAQs
What Is the Most Common Surname in the USA?
Smith is the most common surname in the USA, Canada, and the UK, with popular last names such as Johnson, Jones, and Brown also ranking very highly.
What Is the Most Common Last Name in the World?
Wang is the most common surname in the world, originating in China.
What Is the Oldest Recorded Surname?
Katz is often cited as one of the oldest recorded surnames. It traces back to ancient priesthoods in Israel and translates roughly to “priest of righteousness.”
How Did Occupational Last Names Start?
Occupational surnames began in the Middle Ages as populations grew. Communities needed a way to distinguish between people with the same first name, so they used a person’s trade, like Baker or Smith, as an official identifier.
Why Do so Many Names End in Son?
Names ending in “son” are patronymic. They originated as a literal description of a person’s lineage, meaning “the son of,” to directly link a child to their father.
Can You Legally Change Your Last Name?
Yes, you can legally change your last name in most countries. The process usually requires filing a petition with your local court system and updating your official government identification.
Are There Any Extinct Last Names?
Many surnames go extinct when family lines end or people choose to change their names. Historical records show forgotten names like Bread, Sallow, and Bythesea that no longer exist in modern registries.
What Does a Color in a Last Name Mean?
Surnames like Black, Brown, or White originally functioned as descriptive nicknames. They typically referred to a person’s hair color, eye color, or overall complexion.
How Common Are Hyphenated Surnames?
Hyphenated surnames are becoming much more popular globally. Couples frequently combine their family names after marriage to preserve both lineages and pass a shared name down to their children.
Do All Cultures Use Family Names?
Not all cultures use traditional family names. Some societies still rely on patronymic naming systems where the second name changes with each generation, while others prefer to use a single mononym.
