American Last Names

These American last names reflect the country's layered history, from English and Irish settlers to German, Italian, Mexican, African American and Asian families. The list above shows each name with its origin and meaning.

300 real surnames with meanings, A to Z.

A

Acosta

Dweller by the coast

Portuguese
Adams

Son of Adam, earth

English
Aguilar

Dweller at an eagle's haunt

Spanish
Alexander

Defender of men

Scottish
Allen

From Breton Alan, possibly little rock

Scottish
Alvarado

From a place name, possibly white

Spanish
Alvarez

Son of Alvaro, guardian

Spanish
Anderson

Son of Andrew, manly

Scottish
Andrews

Son of Andrew, manly

English
Armstrong

Nickname for a strong-armed man

Scottish
Arnold

Eagle power, from Germanic

English
Austin

From Augustine, venerable

English
Avila

From the city of Avila

Spanish
Ayala

From Basque hillside pasture

Spanish

B

Bailey

Bailiff or steward

English
Baker

Baker of bread

English
Banks

Dweller by a hillside or riverbank

English
Barker

Tanner who used tree bark

English
Barnes

Dweller by the barns

English
Barnett

Land cleared by burning

English
Barrett

Possibly a nickname for a quarrelsome man, Old French barat

Irish
Bates

Son of Bate, pet form of Bartholomew

English
Beck

Dweller by a stream

English
Becker

Baker of bread

German
Bell

Bell ringer or dweller at a bell sign, or Old French bel, handsome

English
Bennett

From Benedict, blessed

English
Benson

Son of Benedict

English
Berry

Dweller by a fort, or from Berry in France

English
Bishop

Bishop's servant or pageant nickname

English
Black

Nickname for dark hair or complexion

Scottish
Bowman

Archer who fought with the bow

English
Boyd

Yellow haired, from Gaelic buidhe

Scottish
Bradley

From broad clearing

English
Brewer

Brewer of ale

English
Brooks

Dweller by a brook

English
Brown

Nickname for brown hair or complexion

English
Bryant

From Brian, noble or high

Irish
Burke

From the fortress, Norman de Burgh

Irish
Burns

Dweller by a stream

Scottish
Burton

From fortified farmstead

English
Bush

Dweller by a bush

English
Butler

Wine steward of a household

English
Byrd

Nickname from a bird

English

C

Cabrera

Place of goats

Spanish
Caldwell

From cold spring

Scottish
Campbell

Gaelic crooked mouth

Scottish
Campos

Dweller in the fields

Spanish
Carlson

Son of Carl, free man

Nordic
Carpenter

Worker in wood

English
Carr

Dweller by a marsh

English
Carrillo

Cheek, a nickname

Spanish
Carroll

Descendant of Cearbhall, possibly fierce in battle

Irish
Carter

Driver of a cart

English
Castillo

Dweller by a castle

Spanish
Castro

Dweller by a castle or fort

Spanish
Cervantes

From Cervantes in Galicia, possibly Latin cervus, stag

Spanish
Chambers

Chamberlain or room attendant

English
Chang

Older spelling of Zhang, to draw a bow, archer

Chinese
Chapman

Merchant or pedlar

English
Chavez

From Chaves, a town in northern Portugal

Spanish
Chen

To exhibit or display, an ancient state

Chinese
Clark

Clerk or scholar

English
Cohen

Priest, Hebrew kohen

American
Cole

From Old English Cola, coal black

English
Coleman

Charcoal burner, or Irish descendant of Colman

Irish
Collins

Son of Colin, or Irish descendant of Coileain

Irish
Contreras

From a place name, opposite region

Spanish
Cook

Cook or keeper of an eating house

English
Cooper

Maker of barrels

English
Cortez

Nickname for a courteous man

Spanish
Cox

From Cock, a bold young man

English
Craig

Dweller by a crag

Scottish
Crawford

From crow ford in Lanarkshire

Scottish
Cruz

Dweller by a cross

Spanish
Cunningham

From Cunningham district in Ayrshire

Scottish
Curtis

Nickname for a courteous man

English

D

Daniels

Son of Daniel, God is my judge

English
Davidson

Son of David

Scottish
Davis

Son of David, beloved

Welsh
Dawson

Son of Daw, pet form of David

English
Day

Dairy worker or servant

English
Dean

Dweller in a valley

English
DeLeon

From the city of Leon

Spanish
Delgado

Nickname for a slender person

Spanish
Diaz

Son of Diego

Spanish
Dixon

Son of Dick, pet form of Richard

English
Dominguez

Son of Domingo, of the Lord

Spanish
Douglas

From Gaelic dark stream

Scottish
Duncan

Brown warrior, Gaelic Donnchadh

Scottish
Dunn

Nickname for dark hair, Gaelic donn

Irish
Duran

Enduring, from Latin durans

Spanish

E

Edwards

Son of Edward, wealthy guardian

Welsh
Elliott

From Elias, the Lord is my God

Scottish
Ellis

From Elias, the Lord is my God

Welsh
Erickson

Son of Erik

Nordic
Espinoza

Dweller by a thorny place

Spanish
Estrada

Dweller by a paved road

Spanish
Evans

Son of Evan, Welsh form of John

Welsh

F

Ferguson

Son of Fergus, man of vigour

Scottish
Fernandez

Son of Fernando, Germanic journey + daring

Spanish
Fields

Dweller in open country

English
Figueroa

Dweller by fig trees

Spanish
Fisher

Fisherman by trade

English
Fleming

Person from Flanders

Scottish
Fletcher

Maker of arrows

English
Flores

Flowers, or son of Floro

Spanish
Ford

Dweller by a ford

English
Foster

Forester, or foster parent

English
Fowler

Hunter of wild birds

English
Fox

Nickname for a cunning, red-haired man

English
Franklin

Free landholder of non-noble birth

English
Frazier

From Scottish Fraser, of uncertain Norman-French origin

Scottish
Freeman

Man free of feudal obligations

English
Fuller

Cloth worker who cleansed wool

English

G

Garcia

From the medieval given name García, probably Basque; meaning uncertain, perhaps young or bear

Spanish
Gardner

Gardener or grower of produce

English
Garrett

From Gerard or Gerald, spear

English
Garza

Heron, a nickname

Spanish
George

From Greek georgos, farmer

English
Gibson

Son of Gib, pet form of Gilbert

Scottish
Gilbert

Bright pledge, from Germanic

English
Gomez

Son of Gome, man

Spanish
Gonzales

Son of Gonzalo, battle

Spanish
Gonzalez

Son of Gonzalo, battle

Spanish
Gordon

From spacious fort in Berwickshire

Scottish
Graham

From Grantham in Lincolnshire, possibly gravelly homestead

Scottish
Grant

Nickname for a tall man

Scottish
Graves

Steward or reeve

English
Gray

Nickname for grey hair

English
Green

Dweller by the village green

English
Greene

Dweller by the village green

English
Gregory

Watchful, from Greek

English
Griffin

From Welsh Gruffudd, strong lord

Welsh
Guerrero

Warrior or soldier

Spanish
Gutierrez

Son of Gutierre, ruler of the army

Spanish
Guzman

Possibly from Germanic good man

Spanish

H

Hale

Dweller in a nook

English
Hall

Worker or dweller at a great hall

English
Hamilton

From crooked hill

Scottish
Hansen

Son of Hans, short for Johannes

Nordic
Hanson

Son of Hans

Nordic
Hardy

Nickname for a bold man

English
Harper

Player of the harp

English
Harris

Son of Harry, home ruler

English
Harrison

Son of Harry

English
Hart

Nickname from the stag

English
Harvey

From Breton Haerviu, battle worthy

English
Hawkins

Son of Hawkin, little Hal

English
Hayes

Dweller by enclosures, or Irish descendant of Aodh

Irish
Haynes

Dweller by enclosures

English
Henderson

Son of Henry, home ruler

Scottish
Henry

Home ruler, from Germanic Heimrich

English
Hernandez

Son of Hernando (Fernando), Germanic journey + daring

Spanish
Herrera

Dweller by the ironworks

Spanish
Hicks

Son of Hick, pet form of Richard

English
Hill

Dweller on a hill

English
Hoffman

Steward or farm manager

German
Holland

From Holland, or a place in Lincolnshire

English
Holmes

Dweller on an island or river meadow

English
Holt

Dweller by a wood

English
Hopkins

Son of Hopkin, little Hob

Welsh
Horton

From muddy farmstead

English
Howard

Possibly from Old Norse Hávarðr, high guardian, or Norman Huard

English
Howell

From Welsh Hywel, eminent

Welsh
Hudson

Son of Hudd, pet form of Hugh

English
Hughes

Son of Hugh, heart or mind

Welsh
Hunt

Huntsman or game hunter

English
Hunter

Huntsman or game hunter

Scottish

J

Jackson

Son of Jack, pet form of John

English
Jacobs

Son of Jacob, supplanter

English
James

From the apostle's name, supplanter

English
Jenkins

Son of Jenkin, little John

Welsh
Jennings

Son of Jenning, little John

English
Jensen

Son of Jens, form of John

Nordic
Jimenez

Son of Jimeno

Spanish
Johnson

Son of John, God is gracious

English
Johnston

From John's town in Dumfriesshire

Scottish
Jones

Son of John, Welsh form

Welsh
Jordan

From the river Jordan, to descend

English
Joseph

From the given name, God will add

English
Juarez

Son of Suero

Spanish

K

Keller

Cellarer or steward

German
Kelley

Descendant of Ceallach, possibly bright-headed or strife

Irish
Kelly

Descendant of Ceallach, possibly bright-headed or strife

Irish
Kennedy

Descendant of Cinneidigh, helmeted head

Irish
Kim

Gold, most common Korean surname

Korean
King

Nickname for a kingly man or pageant king

English
Klein

Nickname for a small man

German
Knight

Mounted servant of a lord

English

L

Lambert

Land bright, from Germanic

English
Lane

Dweller by a lane

English
Lara

From Lara in Castile

Spanish
Larson

Son of Lars, form of Laurence

Nordic
Lee

Dweller at a clearing or meadow

English
Lewis

From Louis, famous warrior

Welsh
Long

Nickname for a tall man

English
Lopez

Son of Lope, wolf

Spanish

M

Marshall

Keeper of horses, later a high officer

English
Martin

From the Roman name Martinus, of Mars

English
Martinez

Son of Martin, of Mars

Spanish
Mason

Stonemason or builder

English
McDonald

Son of Donald, world ruler

Scottish
Medina

From Arabic madina, city

Spanish
Mendez

Son of Mendo, short for Menendo

Spanish
Mendoza

Basque cold mountain

Spanish
Meyer

Steward or tenant farmer

German
Miller

Keeper of a grain mill

English
Mills

Dweller by the mills

English
Mitchell

From Michael, who is like God

English
Moore

Dweller by a moor, or from Old French More, a Moor (dark-complexioned)

English
Morales

Dweller by mulberry trees

Spanish
Moreno

Nickname for dark hair or skin

Spanish
Morgan

From Old Welsh Morcant, possibly sea + circle or bright

Welsh
Morris

From Maurice, dark skinned

Welsh
Munoz

Son of Muno

Spanish
Murphy

Descendant of Murchadh, sea warrior

Irish
Murray

From the province of Moray

Scottish
Myers

Physician, from Middle English mire, or anglicized German Meyer, steward

English

N

Nelson

Son of Neil or Nell

English
Nguyen

Vietnamese royal surname, from Chinese Ruan

American
Nichols

Son of Nicholas, victory of the people

English

O

Olson

Son of Ole, ancestor's heir

Nordic
Ortiz

Son of Orti, fortunate

Spanish
Owens

Son of Owen, noble or well born

Welsh

P

Palmer

Pilgrim who carried a palm branch

English
Parker

Keeper of a deer park

English
Patel

Village headman or landholder

Indian
Patterson

Son of Patrick, nobleman

Scottish
Payne

Countryman or pagan, from Old French paien

English
Perez

Son of Pedro, rock

Spanish
Perry

Dweller by a pear tree

English
Peterson

Son of Peter, rock

Nordic
Phillips

Son of Philip, lover of horses

English
Porter

Gatekeeper or carrier of goods

English
Powell

Son of Hywel, Welsh ap Hywel

Welsh
Price

Son of Rhys, Welsh ap Rhys

Welsh

R

Ramirez

Son of Ramiro, Germanic counsel + fame

Spanish
Ramos

Dweller by branches, or Palm Sunday

Spanish
Reed

Nickname for red hair

English
Reyes

Kings, often from Epiphany feast

Spanish
Reynolds

Son of Reynold, counsel power

English
Rice

From Welsh Rhys, ardour

Welsh
Richardson

Son of Richard, brave ruler

English
Rivera

Dweller by the riverbank

Spanish
Roberts

Son of Robert, bright fame

Welsh
Robertson

Son of Robert, bright fame

Scottish
Robinson

Son of Robin, pet form of Robert

English
Rodriguez

Son of Rodrigo, famous ruler

Spanish
Rogers

Son of Roger, famous spear

English
Romero

Pilgrim to Rome

Spanish
Rose

Dweller by roses, or from a rose sign

English
Ross

Dweller on a headland

Scottish
Ruiz

Son of Ruy, short for Rodrigo

Spanish
Russell

Little red one

English
Ryan

Descendant of Rian, little king

Irish

S

Salazar

Old hall, from Basque

Spanish
Sanchez

Son of Sancho, holy

Spanish
Sanders

Son of Sander, short for Alexander

English
Schmidt

Smith, worker in metal

German
Scott

Person from Scotland

Scottish
Shaw

Dweller by a copse or thicket

English
Silva

Dweller by a wood

Portuguese
Simmons

Son of Simon, he has heard

English
Simpson

Son of Sim, pet form of Simon

English
Smith

Metalworker, from Old English smith, probably related to smitan, to strike

English
Snyder

Tailor, from Dutch snijder

Dutch
Soto

Dweller by a grove

Spanish
Spencer

Dispenser of provisions

English
Stephens

Son of Stephen, crown

English
Stevens

Son of Stephen, crown

English
Stewart

Steward of a household

Scottish
Stone

Dweller by a notable stone

English
Sullivan

Descendant of Súileabhán, possibly dark-eyed

Irish

T

Taylor

Tailor of garments

English
Thomas

From the apostle's name, meaning twin

Welsh
Thompson

Son of Thomas, twin

English
Torres

Dweller by the towers

Spanish
Tran

Vietnamese royal surname, from Chinese Chen

American
Tucker

Cloth fuller who softened cloth

English
Turner

Craftsman who turned wood on a lathe

English

V

Vargas

Dweller on a slope or hut

Spanish
Vasquez

Son of Vasco, Basque

Spanish

W

Wagner

Wagon maker or cartwright

German
Walker

Cloth fuller who trod cloth in water

English
Wallace

Welshman or foreigner

Scottish
Ward

Guard or watchman

English
Warren

From La Varenne in Normandy, or game park keeper

English
Washington

From Washington, Wassa's estate

English
Watson

Son of Wat, pet form of Walter

Scottish
Weaver

Weaver of cloth

English
Webb

Weaver of cloth

English
Wells

Dweller by a spring

English
West

Dweller to the west

English
White

Nickname for fair hair or complexion

English
Williams

Son of William, resolute protector

Welsh
Wilson

Son of Will, diminutive of William

English
Wood

Dweller by a wood

English
Woods

Dweller by the woods

English
Wright

Craftsman or builder

English

Y

Young

Nickname for the younger of two

English

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Results (6)

Little

Nickname for a small man

English
Castillo

Dweller by a castle

Spanish
Chapman

Merchant or pedlar

English
Becker

Baker of bread

German
Morrison

Son of Morris

Scottish
Peters

Son of Peter, rock

English

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How immigration shaped American last names

The United States has no single naming tradition, so its surnames are a record of who arrived and when. English, Scottish, Irish and Welsh names such as Smith, Johnson, Williams, Brown, Jones and Davis dominate the top of the census rankings because of early colonial settlement and because many Black Americans carry English-origin surnames. German names like Miller (often from Müller), Schmidt and Snyder became common in Pennsylvania and across the Midwest.

Later waves added their own names. The nineteenth century brought Irish families like Murphy and Sullivan and Scandinavian names such as Anderson, Nelson and Olson to the upper Midwest. Italians, Poles and Eastern European Jews followed around 1900, adding names like Russo, Kowalski and Cohen. Since the late twentieth century Hispanic surnames have climbed fast, and García, Rodríguez and Martínez now rank among the most common in the country, while Nguyen, Kim and Patel are familiar in many cities.

The truth about name changes at Ellis Island

A popular story says immigration officers at Ellis Island changed people's names on arrival. Historians find little evidence for it. Inspectors worked from passenger lists drawn up at the port of departure, often by clerks who spoke the traveller's language, and they did not issue new names. Most changes happened later, when families chose simpler spellings for work, school or naturalization papers, or to avoid prejudice during periods of anti-immigrant feeling.

Those voluntary changes took several forms. Some names were translated, so Zimmermann became Carpenter and Schwarz became Black. Others were shortened, turning Papadopoulos into Pappas, or respelled to match English sounds, as with Müller to Miller and Schneider to Snyder. Some Jewish families adopted English-sounding names entirely. Knowing these patterns helps when writing a family with deep American roots, since their name may look nothing like the one their ancestors brought.

Uncommon American last names with local roots

Some of the most interesting names in the country are regional. Cajun Louisiana has Boudreaux, Thibodeaux, Fontenot and Guidry. Pennsylvania Dutch communities keep Yoder, Stoltzfus, Zook and Hershberger. Appalachian families carry old English and Scots-Irish names like McCoy, Hatfield and Caudill. In New Mexico, Hispano families with names such as Baca, Lucero and Trujillo trace their roots to Spanish colonial settlement long before the region became part of the United States.

Native American surnames add another layer. Many were assigned by government agents or boarding schools, sometimes by translating a personal name into English, which produced names such as Blackhorse, Yellowhair and Two Bulls. Navajo families often carry Begay, from a word meaning his son, along with Yazzie (little) and Tsosie (slender). These names belong to living communities with specific histories, so it is worth using them with care and accuracy.

Frequently asked questions

What are unique American last names?

Unique American last names often come from small regional communities, such as Stoltzfus among the Pennsylvania Dutch, Thibodeaux in Cajun Louisiana or Tsosie among the Navajo. Names like these are rare nationally but very familiar in one place, which makes them useful for grounding a character in a specific region.

Which white American last names are the most common?

Census data shows Smith, Johnson, Miller, Brown, Jones, Williams, Davis, Anderson, Wilson and Martin among the most frequent surnames for white Americans. They reflect English, Scottish, Irish, German and Scandinavian ancestry. Many of the same names are also common among Black Americans, so a surname alone does not indicate race.

Which American surnames rank highest in the census?

In the 2010 census the leading names were Smith, Johnson, Williams, Brown, Jones, Garcia, Miller, Davis, Rodriguez and Martinez. Smith has led every published census surname list, while Hispanic names have risen steadily since the 1990s.

Did Ellis Island officials change American last names?

Almost never. Officials checked arrivals against ship manifests created in Europe and had no reason to rename anyone. Most families who changed their names did so themselves in later years, often to fit in at work or school, or during periods of hostility toward their community.