The most common surname in the United States is Smith. Actually, the most common surname in just about every English-speaking country is Smith. As you may already suspect, the last name “Smith” refers to the blacksmith trade.
A study published by ancestry.com found that Smith was by far the most common surname in the United States, followed by Johnson, Miller, Jones, Williams, and Anderson. However there is huge variation in the most frequent last names in different states.
For the most part, members of the Royal Family who are entitled to the style and dignity of HRH Prince or Princess do not need a surname, but if at any time any of them do need a surname (such as upon marriage), that surname is Mountbatten-Windsor.
Best is a surname. In England the surname is of Anglo-Norman origin meaning the beast (beste). People with this surname: Adam Best (actor) (born 1983), British actor.
There are a number of reasons why you might have a rare surname. Names linked to niche professions that no longer exist, migration, colloquialisms and even entire families being wiped out during war could contribute to your family name being less common than others. Then again, it could simply be destiny.
A hyphenated last name is when you and your spouse combine both of your last names with a hyphen. This is also called a double surname. In many states, when you fill out your application for your marriage license, you'll be writing your intended married name on that application.
Traditionally, the first surname is paternal and comes from the father, while the second surname is maternal and comes from the mother. In recent years, some countries have allowed parents to alter the order of surnames for their children, but in historical records paternal surnames generally precede maternal names.
The longest single English surname is Featherstonehaugh (17 letters), variously pronounced Featherstonehaw or Festonhaw or Fessonhay or Freestonhugh or Feerstonhaw or Fanshaw.
Abbott. The name Abbott is derived from the Old French word abet, which means “priest.” It also has origins in Greek and Latin, where it means “power.”
Smith is the most common last name in the United States, followed by Johnson, Miller, Jones, Williams, and Anderson, according to genealogy company Ancestry.com.
"The U.S. Census Bureau statistics tell us that there are at least 151,671 different last names and 5,163 different first names in common use in the United States. Some names are more common than others," according to the website's homepage. Top Three Most Common Last Names: Smith.
King is an English and Scottish surname. It is also an Anglicized form of the German surname Küng (also König, Koenig and other forms), which in many German dialects is pronounced like king. This originally German form is widespread among American Mennonites and Amish.
