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World’s 10 Most Common Surnames



Business Insider (October 21, 2018) lists the top 10 most common surnames in the world. Traditionally surnames originate from names of geographical locations or landscape features, occupations, personal characteristics, estate names, ancestry, or patronage. 

Smith
In America, Australia, and the United Kingdom the most common surname is Smith. It originates from the profession of people who worked with metal or a trade, such as goldsmith, silversmith, coppersmith, locksmith, and wordsmith.

Wang
About 92.8 million people in mainland China have the surname Wang, which means king. King, as a surname in various languages, is also common across Europe. 

Jones
Jones and Johnson are variations of the name John. A name ending with son is a patronym meaning son of, such as son of John. Jones is a common surname in the United Kingdom, and Johnson is the second most common surname in America, after Smith.

Li or Lee
Li, or Lee, is one of the most common names in China and the most common surname in Hawaii, meaning minister – a high government official.

Brown
The surname Brown, common in America, Australia, and the United Kingdom, might have originated from the colour of a person’s hair or eyes.  

Garcia
García, according to the Instituto Nacional de Estadistica, is the most common surname in Spain and is found in Spanish-speaking areas. It is the most common name in California and Texas in America. In 2010, it was the sixth most common name in America. Its origins might mean bear or young.

Patel
Patel, meaning village leader, is derived from a Hindu and Parsi name. Patel is not the most common surname in India, but it is common across India and English-speaking countries. 

Miller
Müller and Miller refer to the trade of milling hard wheats into a flour. Müller is the most common surname in Germany, Switzerland, and parts of France. The English version, Miller, is one of the top 10 surnames in America.

Nguyen
About 30-40% of Vietnamese people have the last name Nguyen. Surnames are relatively new in Vietnamese culture, where family names came first and were patronymic until the Chinese imposed taxes, and therefore surnames to track workers. 

Smirnov
The most common surname in Russia is Smirnov, meaning quiet or still. However, the Smirnovs make up only 1.8% of Russia's population.





MARTINA NICOLLSis an international aid and development consultant, and the authorof:- Similar But Different in the Animal Kingdom(2017), The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).

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