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.
51. PARKER
Population Count: 324,246A nickname or descriptive surname often bestowed on a man who worked as a gamekeeper at a medieval park.
52. COLLINS
Population Count: 317,848This Gaelic and English surname has many possible origins, but is most often derived from the personal name of the father, meaning "son of Colin." Colin is often a pet form of Nicholas.
53. EDWARDS
Population Count: 317,070A patronymic name meaning "son of Edward." The singular form, EDWARD, means "prosperous guardian."
54. STEWART
Population Count: 312,899An occupational name for a steward or manager of a household or estate.
55. FLORES
Population Count: 312,615The origin of this common Spanish surname is uncertain, but many believe it derives from the given name Floro, meaning "flower."
56. MORRIS
Population Count: 311,754"Dark and swarthy," from the Latin "mauritius," meaning 'moorish, dark' and/or from "maurus," meaning moor.
57. NGUYEN
Population Count: 310,125This is the most common surname in Vietnam, but is actually of Chinese origin, meaning "musical instrument."
58. MURPHY
Population Count: 300,501A modern form of the ancient Irish name "O'Murchadha," which means "descendant of sea warrior" in Gaelic.
59. RIVERA
Population Count: 299,463A Spanish surname for one who lived on a riverbank or near a river.
60. COOK
Population Count: 294,795An English occupational name for a cook, a man who sold cooked meats, or the keeper of an eating house.
