Smith, Johnson, Williams, Jones, Brown... Are you one of the millions of Americans sporting one of these top 100 common last names from the 2000 census? The following list of the most commonly occurring surnames in America includes details on each name's origin and meaning. It's interesting to note, that since 1990, the only other time this surname report has been compiled by the U.S. Census Bureau, two Hispanic surnames -- Garcia and Rodriguez -- have risen into the top 10.
21. LOPEZ
Population Count: 621,536A patronymical surname meaning "son of Lope." Lope comes from the Spanish form of Lupus, a Latin name meaning "wolf."
22. LEE
Population Count: 605,860Lee is a surname with many possible meanings and origins. Often it was a name given to one who lived in or near a "laye," a Middle English term meaning 'clearing in the woods.'
23. GONZALEZ
Population Count: 597,718A patronymic name meaning "son of Gonzalo."
24. HARRIS
Population Count: 593,542"Son of Harry," a given name derived from Henry and meaning "home ruler."
25. CLARK
Population Count: 548,369This surname was most often used by a cleric, clerk, or scholar, one who can read and write.
26. LEWIS
Population Count: 509,930Derived from the Germanic given name Lewis, meaning "reknowned, famous battle."
27. ROBINSON
Population Count: 503,028The most likely origin of this surname is "son of Robin," although it may also derive from the Polish word "rabin," meaning rabbi.
28. WALKER
Population Count: 501,307An occupational surname for a fuller, or person who walked on damp raw cloth in order to thicken it.
29. PEREZ
Population Count: 488,521The most common of several origins for the surname Perez, is a patronymic name derived from Pero, Pedro, etc. - meaning "son of Pero."
30. HALL
Population Count: 473,568A place name derived from various words for "large house," usually used to signify someone who lived in or worked in a hall or manor house.
