Smith or Garcia? Top U.S. Surnames

Smith remains the most common surname in the United States, but Rodriguez and Garcia are close behind according to the latest data released by the U.S. Census Bureau. The two Hispanic last names have joined the elite list of America's top 10 surnames, up from #18 and #22 repectively, since the initial Census Bureau surname report of 1990. The number of Hispanic surnames in the top 25 doubled, to 6. Not surprising, given that the number of Hispanics living in the United States increased by 58 percent in the 1990s. The new surname survey also shows an increase in Asian names, with Lee noted as the 22nd most common surname in the United States, about equally divided between whites and Asians. Lee is often described as the most common surname in the world due to its multicultural use (it has both Korean and English origins), according to The New York Times.

Where does your last name rank on the list of most common U.S. surnames? Check out my list of top American surnames with meanings and origins.