Most Popular Last Name
Image via Ancestry.com

Map Shows the Most Popular Last Name in Each State

A map published by the genealogy website Ancestry.com back in 2014 pinpoints the most popular last name in every state, and some of them might surprise you. If you were to guess the most common surname in the country, you'd probably get it right. It's kind of like guessing the most popular baby names of the moment (meaning we all know them). Go ahead. Guess. 

That's right. Smith! In fact, Smith takes the top spot in 40 out of 50 states in the United States, and the second-place spot in four more. Click here to enlarge the map.

Another common name across the United States is Johnson. Johnson is the number two most popular name in 22 states. There's also Williams, Miller, and Jones. It looks pretty in line with the top 50 names that Wall Street calculated across North America using the U.S. Census Bureau data. We all expected Smith and probably Brown to be popular surnames because we know countless people with that family name (or is that just me?).

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In California, the three most common surnames are Garcia, Hernandez, and Lopez, highlighting the state's prominent Hispanic population. New Mexico and Texas display similar demographics. The most prevalent name in New Mexico is Martinez, which is the third most common in Texas. The Lone Star State's most popular last name is Garcia, followed by, you guessed it, Smith, balancing out the English speaking population. But there are some names it was surprising not to see. What about Rodriguez, Gonzalez, Mendez, Fuentes, or Herrera? Or common Scottish last names like Campbell? Portuguese last names like Silva? We'll never know because apparently, America is drowning in Smiths. 

Hawaii's top names are completely unique. Lee, Wong, and Kim are the most common names in that state, and they don't show up anywhere else on the map. Take a look at the map or our list below and see the most common last names in your state.

Alabama

Smith, Williams, Johnson

Alaska

Smith, Johnson, Williams 

Arizona

Smith, Johnson, Garcia

Arkansas

Smith, Williams, Johnson

California

Garcia, Hernandez, Lopez

Colorado

Smith, Johnson, Martinez

Connecticut

Smith, Johnson, Brown

Delaware

Smith, Johnson, Brown

Florida

Smith, Williams, Johnson

Georgia

Smith, Williams, Johnson

Hawaii

Lee, Wong, Kim

Idaho

Smith, Johnson, Anderson

Illinois

Smith, Johnson, Williams

Indiana

Smith, Miller, Johnson

Iowa

Smith, Williams, Anderson

Kansas

Smith, Johnson, Miller

Kentucky

Smith, Johnson, Jones

Louisiana

Williams, Smith, Johnson

Maine

Smith, Brown, Johnson

Maryland

Smith, Johnson, Jones

Massachusetts

Smith, Johnson, Sullivan 

Michigan

Smith, Johnson, Williams

Minnesota

Johnson, Anderson, Nelson 

Mississippi

Smith, Williams, Johnson

Missouri

Smith, Johnson, Williams 

Montana

Smith, Johnson, Anderson

Nebraska

Johnson, Smith, Miller

Nevada

Smith, Johnson, Garcia

New Hampshire

Smith, Brown, Johnson

New Jersey

Smith, Williams, Johnson

New Mexico

Martinez, Garcia, Chavez

New York

Smith, Williams, Brown

North Carolina

Smith, Williams, Johnson

North Dakota

Johnson, Anderson, Olson 

Ohio

Smith, Miller, Johnson

Oklahoma

Smith, Johnson, Williams

Oregon

Smith, Johnson, Miller

Pennsylvania

Smith, Miller, Williams

Rhode Island

Smith, Brown, Johnson

South Carolina

Smith, Williams, Brown

South Dakota

Johnson, Anderson, Smith

Tennessee

Smith, Johnson, Jones

Texas

Garcia, Smith, Martinez

Utah

Smith, Johnson, Anderson

Vermont

Smith, Brown, Johnson

Virginia

Smith, Johnson, Jones

Washington

Smith, Johnson, Anderson

West Virginia

Smith, Miller, Johnson

Wisconsin

Johnson, Smith, Anderson

Wyoming

Smith, Johnson, Miller

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