All content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0, except where otherwise stated. It also means "of the noble kind," which I remind my 3-year-old of on the daily. We all know the word Butler in English. It turns out that theres actually a lot to know about last namesincluding why some last names are more popular than others. Thomas is of Welsh, Ireland, and English origin. One or the other! The first king of Scotland was Kenneth, and Sir Kenneth, a Christian crusader, was the hero of the Sir Walter Scott novel. If you are in the Northwest, you are more likely to come across an Anderson than a Brown, which is slightly more Using Census Bureau data, 24/7 Wall Street compiled a list of the top 50 last names in the U.S. Heres what they found: 1. Devi and Singh, the most common surnames in India, are at numbers 6 and 9, respectively. 3. The name means "pure" and is super classic, with the SSA reporting that it was the 65th most popular name of the 1950s for girls. Along with such choices as Charles and George, Patrick has escaped overuse in recent decades. This list of the five most common last names in Asia shows the immense population of its biggest country. Last names are so much fun to look at especially looking into their history. Back in the '50s, the name was the 51st most popular, but Nameberry noted that in 2017, it was number 265. 1 Nancy Nancy has such a sweetness and an absolute charm about it. The surname Smith occurs roughly 828 times per 100,000 people in the U.S. Some of the more old fashioned choices make sense (sorry Mildred), but we were definitely surprised by the beautiful name ranked at 200. The name sanders are native to Alexandros, which means son of Alexander or defender of the people.So, it is of Greek origin name. Northwesterners are more likely to meet an Anderson, while on the East Coast people named Brown are more common. The figures they honored were mostly politicians Jefferson, Cleveland, and Monroe were Top 300 choices as well as inventors, businessmen, and scientists such as Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, and Charles Darwin. 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. Just as there werent any baby Chaplins or Fitzgeralds or Wagners born in 1921, we havent found any evidence of modern-day babies being named Biden or Bezos or Musk. The names with the steepest decline in popularity since their peaks include Gail, Peggy, Cheryl, and Kathy. Thats not as simple a question as it might seem on the surface. The most common last name in the U.S. is "Smith." If you compare that to the history of imperialism and imperialist expansion, youll see that the most aggressive colonizers of other lands were the English, Spanish, Chinese, and Muslims. The meaning of the name is "foreign woman," which is kind of funny considering everyone I know or have heard of named Barbara is not what I'd call a "foreign woman," but there you have it. Johnson. Using Census Bureau data, 24/7 Wall Street compiled a list of the top 50 last names in the U.S. Heres what they found: You can see more on the history and occurrence rates of each name here. In other words, clan names are passed down to children from their mothers, not their fathers. So it became more and more necessary to be more specific about which John or Mary you were talking about. It's also a diminutive of Margaret and means "pearl," which just adds to its vintage charm. That's a lot of Marys, but I can honestly say I never hear this sweet name anymore. In the 1950s, there were 102,715 baby boys born with the name, according to the SSA, but in 2017, it was only at number 213. Lee is a prevalent surname in America, from English origin too in the past. These are the most popular given names in the United States for all years of the 1950s. 2. Here, a selection of surnames that ranked in the US Top 500 in 1922: Alden Booker Boyd Buford Burton Carlton Carmine Clifton Clinton Dewitt Doyle Eldon Ellis Ellsworth Elwood Emerson Emery Foster Freeman Garland Harris Harrison Hollis Hoyt Linwood Lowell Lyman Maynard Merrill Milford Millard Morton Murray Nelson Norris So you know, it's no longer a popular one. The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 4+ ACT Points, How to Get a Perfect 36 ACT, by a Perfect Scorer. Christine Christian woman. (You know, all the stereotypical '50s things.). Green implies greenery, grass, and nature. My husband has already nixed this one, but in the '50s, a lot of husbands were agreeing as it was given to 38,401 baby girls. Why? Williams. Does Annette make you think of a Mouseketeer? If you've ever seen a 1950s children's book, you recognize Jane from the adventures of Dick and Jane. All rights reserved (About Us). You guys, how cute is Marjorie? In fact, this list of the 5 most popular surnames in Asia is also a list of the five most common last names in the entire world. Solid, strong, royal and saintly, yet friendly and unpretentious, we think that George is in prime position for a comeback, especially since it was chosen by Britain's royal couple. Evans is another widespread surname we hear, even in celebrity circles. It would not be hard to guess what someone named Tom Carpenter did for a living. For example, in the United States, Smith was the most popular surname in 1990 and retained that spot ten years later. Martin is from the Latin word Martinus. Lee is a prevalent surname in America, from English origin too in the past. It means officers who inspect forests. Some of the more old fashioned choices make sense (sorry Mildred), but we were definitely surprised by the beautiful name ranked at 200. The error has now been rectified and corrections have been made to both tables below. Plus, if you're a fan of the 1950s, you'll appreciate that this moniker was the 28th most popular baby girl name of the decade, so it definitely has a spunky, vintage charm. They were not using the names of entertainers, artists, or sports stars, which is a trend Prior to this, it was rare to meet a girl with a surname name. WebThe popular names of the 1950's. A person who cut, sewed, and altered clothing. See More: Indian American Baby Names with Meanings. Six of the top 20 names on this list of the 55 most common last names in the U.S. have Hispanic origins. It is an Irish surname popular in the United States of America. This royal Anglo-Saxon standard has benefited in recent years from the popularity of the hot hero of the vampire sensation, English short form of Susannah, Hebrew,"lily". Perry technically implies a person who dwells around the pear tree. Bonnie Attractive. It is of European origin and means Son of Evan.. Or perhaps in a region of the world? Robinson is none other than the son of Robin. It is an English native surname and last name. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. Then, see what you can learn about those ancestors. Johnson. Surnames occurring most often on the birth, death and marriage registers in Scotland in 1995 listed alphabetically. (You know, all the stereotypical '50s things.) Quickwhats the most common last name in the U.S? You already know it's a popular '50s choice, but it also means "peaceful ruler" and isn't mega popular right now. The native Americans are pretty few, so no wonder we have the popular American last names as an amalgam of people from different races, communities, and regions across the globe. Ralph has two diametrically different images: there's the suave Ralph Fiennes-type Brit (often pronounced Rafe), and then there's the Jackie Gleason blue-collar, bowling blowhard Ralph Kramden bus driver. All that being said, lets take a look at 50 of the most common job-based surnames. It means son or protector of Thomas.. Carolyn Free woman. #6 GARCIA Of unknown meaning. 31. In the 1950s, it was used for 29,035 babies, and has been making a comeback ever since. Cook, as the name suggests, and one can guess, is the occupational surname. There are so many amazing surnames and people in this world and its such a blessing to get to learn about them. The 1990s was the beginning for -son names: Hudson, Jackson, Carson, et al. Whether you want to call her Ronnie or Vera, Veronica is super versatile and lovely. Denise and Dennis, Donna and Donald these are the names of today's grandmas and grandpas, not quite baby-ready for another generation. Last names, also known as surnames, can tell us a lot about our family history and cultural identity. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. She has been quoted as a name expert by The Washington Post, People, The Huffington Post, and more. African slaves, for instance, came to the Americas without surnames and were often given the surnames of their owners. Foster is a popular occupational last name. Nevertheless, one can spot a few surnames and last names in several states of the United States. Peter is derived from the Greek Petros, meaning rock or stone. One of the most important figures in the Christian hagiography is Saint Peter, keeper of the Gates of Heaven. After the Qin Dynasty fell in 206 BCE, many families adopted the last name Wang. This helped families disguise their true identities to avoid being assassinated by the new rulers of Chinaand it also helped make Wang the most common surname in the world! These names come from across history, cultures, and more. Alan is a family name for me, so I have a soft spot no matter what, but since the name means "handsome, cheerful," I think it's ridiculously perfect for any baby boy. I love the nickname Cal, and I think it just fits with any surname. Smith. Ecclesiastical leader or a person who portrayed one in a play. It has a German origin. The College Entrance Examination BoardTM does not endorse, nor is it affiliated in any way with the owner or any content of this site. (Tamas Kovacs/MTI via AP) APAP. Hispanophone names are rising on the list of most common last names in the U.S. as immigration from Hispanic countries increases. Perhaps you are expecting to see these same Hispanophone names that are common in North America in South America, too? Lists of the most popular names in the United States, List of the most popular names in the 1950s in the United States, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_the_most_popular_names_in_the_1950s_in_the_United_States&oldid=1123602894, Lists of the most popular given names in the United States, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 24 November 2022, at 16:49. When learning about genealogy, its important to learn from various reputable sources. This website is where we share everything weve learned about genealogy like youve got your own genealogist friend at your side. Anderson. A few of these vintage surnames are now hits for girls, most notably Emerson and Palmer. Smith. Johnson. What ACT target score should you be aiming for? Some need more time away before they become palatable again its hard to imagine a baby Elwood or Milford but most would feel fresh yet familiar on a baby boy or girl. My husband's grandmother is named Barbara and I just think it's cute as a button. In fact, of the 430,000,000+ people in South America, almost half--about 213,000,000--live in Brazil. There were 16,505 baby girls named Lillian in the '50s, and the name has remained fairly popular ever since. #4 BROWN Surname from a nickname for someone with a dark complexion or hair. WebCurrently, the most popular last name in America is Smith, with a total count of 2,442,977 people who have the surname. Related names include Nan, Nance, Nanette, Nanny, and Nanou. Taylor is another prevalent occupational surname. Garcia jumped in popularity from the 18th-most-popular name in 1990 to the sixth-most-popular last name in 2010. It means heel. It is a prevalent surname and last name across the states in the US and also Europe. Check out our top-rated graduate blogs here: PrepScholar 2013-2018. It means an old English word Brun., Jones is another prevalent surname in America. So while job-based surnames are common (hello, all of you Smiths! It is a Hispanic and English native last name. OK, so Rebecca is still a popular one, but I haven't heard any new babies given this sweet name in a while, so I'm including it. The rarest last names are the ones with the fewest people who bear them. And an absolute charm about it making a comeback ever since, alt= ''. Or hair numbers 6 and 9, respectively Ireland, and Kathy and its such a and... Surnames are common ( hello, all the stereotypical '50s things. ) the 51st most given... < img src= '' http: //thebullelephant.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/baby-names-over-the-years.jpg '', alt= '' '' > < /img > it means an English! And cultural identity popularity since their peaks include Gail, Peggy, Cheryl, Nanou... 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Where we share everything weve learned about genealogy like youve got your own genealogist friend at your.! To be more specific about which John or Mary you were talking about target should! America in South America, too, the most common last names in the.. 2017, it was used for 29,035 babies, and I just think 's.