Common Last Names

The most widespread surnames in the world — and what they mean.

1,124 surnames found Page 6 of 23

Dayan

Sephardic and Mizrahi Jewish surname derived from the Hebrew "dayan", meaning...

Jewish

Merritt

Derived from a medieval personal name or a boundary/place element.

English

Burton

Locational surname meaning fortified settlement or enclosure.

English

Lundgren

Topographic surname combining grove and branch or green element.

Scandinavian

Hussain

Derived from the personal name Husayn, often associated with beauty or goodne...

Arabic

Okafor

Nigerian surname of Igbo origin with lineage meaning tied to market-day birth...

Nigerian

Baker

Occupational surname for a baker of bread.

English

Rivera

Topographic surname referring to a riverbank or shore.

Spanish

Nowak

Surname meaning newcomer or new person.

Polish

Greene

Variant spelling of Green, topographic surname for village green.

English

Scott

Ethnic surname originally meaning a person from Scotland or of Gaelic origin.

Scottish

Jung

Korean surname appearing in several Romanizations with old clan roots.

Korean

Dennis

Derived from the personal name Denis or Dennis.

English

Almeida

Locational surname from places named Almeida in Iberia.

Portuguese

Meyerhof

Locational surname tied to a manor or central farm.

German

Hill

Topographic surname for someone who lived on or near a hill.

English

Bush

Topographic surname for someone living near a bush or thicket.

English

Luo

Historic Chinese surname associated with ancient states.

Chinese

Green

Topographic surname for someone living near a village green or grassy place.

English

Malik

Title and surname meaning king or owner.

Arabic

Yamamoto

Topographic surname meaning base of the mountain.

Japanese

Tanaka

Topographic surname meaning central rice field or field in the middle.

Japanese

Okamoto

Topographic surname meaning hill base or origin hill.

Japanese

Gomez

Patronymic surname meaning son of Gome or Gomo.

Spanish

Kowalski

Occupational surname meaning smith.

Polish

Grimes

Surname with Norse and English personal-name roots.

English

Justice

Occupational surname for a judicial officer or nickname for a fair person.

English

Desai

Title-derived surname used historically for local officials or landholders.

Indian

Alonso

Derived from the given name Alonso, a form of Alfonso.

Spanish

Rashid

Derived from a personal name meaning rightly guided.

Arabic

Saito

Japanese surname meaning purification or abstinence from the wisteria plant. ...

Japanese

Brennan

Irish surname from O Braonain, meaning descendant of Braonain (sorrow or mois...

Irish

McGowan

Irish surname from Mac an Ghabhann, meaning son of the smith. The name refers...

Irish

McCann

Irish surname from Mac Cana, meaning son of Cana (wolf cub). The McCann sept ...

Irish

McCabe

Irish surname from Mac Caba, meaning son of Caba (cape or hood). The McCabes ...

Irish

McDonagh

Irish surname from Mac Donnchadha, meaning son of Donnchadh (brown warrior). ...

Irish

Kelleher

Irish surname from O Ceileachair, meaning descendant of Ceileachar (companion...

Irish

Tierney

Irish surname from O Tighearnaigh, meaning descendant of Tighearnach (lordly)...

Irish

Molloy

Irish surname from O Maol Aodha, meaning descendant of the devotee of Saint A...

Irish

Regan

Irish surname from O Riagain, meaning descendant of Riagan (little king). The...

Irish

Larkin

Irish surname from O Lorcain, meaning descendant of Lorcan (fierce or cruel)....

Irish

Keating

Irish surname from O Ceitinn, meaning descendant of Ceitin. The most famous b...

Irish

Mulligan

Irish surname from O Maolagain, meaning descendant of Maolagán (little bald o...

Irish

Kearney

Irish surname from O Cearnaigh, meaning descendant of Cearnach (victorious). ...

Irish

Corcoran

Irish surname from O Corcrain, meaning descendant of Corcran (purple or ruddy...

Irish

Loughlin

Irish surname from O Lochlainn, meaning descendant of Lochlann (land of the l...

Irish

Tobin

Irish surname from Toibin, a Gaelicized form of the Anglo-Norman name St. Aub...

Irish

Rooney

Irish surname from O Ruanaidh, meaning descendant of Ruanadh (champion or her...

Irish

Daly

Irish surname from O Dalaigh, meaning descendant of Dalach (one who attends a...

Irish

Donnelly

Irish surname from O Donnghalaigh, meaning descendant of Donnghal (brown valo...

Irish

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Why are some names so common?

Common surnames often originate from occupations, geography, or patronymic traditions shared across cultures.