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.
1. SMITH
Population Count: 2,376,206Smith is an occupational surname for a man who works with metal (smith or blacksmith), one of the earliest jobs for which specialist skills were required. It is a craft that was practiced in all countries, making the surname and its derivations the most common of all surnames around the world.
2. JOHNSON
Population Count: 1,857,160An English patronymic surname meaning "son of John (gift of God)."
3. WILLIAMS
Population Count: 1,534,042The most common origin of the Williams surname is patronymic, meaning "son of William," but there are also others.
4. BROWN
Population Count: 1,380,145A descriptive surname meaning "brown haired" or "brown skinned."
5. JONES
Population Count: 1,362,755A patronymic name meaning "son of John (God has favored or gift of God)."
6. MILLER
Population Count: 1,127,803The most common derivation of this surname is as an occupation name referring to a person who worked in a grain mill.
7. DAVIS
Population Count: 1,072,335A patronymic surname meaning "Son of David (beloved)."
8. GARCIA
Population Count: 858,289There are several possible origins for this popular Hispanic surname. The most common meaning is "descendant or son of Garcia (the Spanish form of Gerald)."
9. RODRIGUEZ
Population Count: 804,240A patronymic name meaning "son of Rodrigo." The "ez or es" added to the root signifies "descendant of."
10. WILSON
Population Count: 783,051An English or Scottish surname meaning "son of Will," a nickname for William.
