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How Popular is Your Surname in America?

You already know that the 2010 census is counting how many people live where in the United States. What you may not know is that the census tallies many other interesting pieces of information as well, such as how many Americans own computers and televisions and how many of each of those items they own. In addition to providing information about how many computers and televisions we all have, the Census Bureau has ranked the surnames of Americans from most to least popular. It is probably not surprising to you that the most popular surname in the United States is … Continue reading →

The Top Ten Most Common French Surnames

Did someone in your family speak French as a first language? As you put together your family tree, you may have discovered ancestors who emigrated from France to the United States. The most common French surname is Martin. This name is derived from the first name Martinus, which is Latin. Martinus refers to the Roman god of fertility and war, who was named Mars. There was a popular 4th-century saint named Martin of Tours, who was very popular with people who lived in Europe during the Middle ages. It is possible that the surname Martin was adopted by people who … Continue reading →

Top Ten Most Common Surnames in Australia

Do you have relatives in Australia? One way to trace your relatives is by looking for a surname that you both have in common. If your ancestor has one of the top ten most common surnames in Australia, there is potential that your family tree has branches that connect to Australia. The ten most popular surnames in Australia have some commonalities with the most popular surnames in other English speaking countries. There are also some significant differences. A few of the names on this list do not appear on the lists of most common surnames in the United States, or … Continue reading →

Most Common Surnames in the UK

In some cases, your surname, or the surnames of your ancestors, can indicate what country your family might have originated from. The meaning behind a surname might change, depending on what country your relative was from. The top ten most common surnames in the United States are not exactly the same as the top ten most popular surnames in the UK, (although some names made both lists). The most common surnames in the U.S are: Smith, Johnson, Williams, Jones, Brown, Davis, Miller, Wilson, Moore, and Taylor. The most common surname in the UK is Smith, (which is also the most … Continue reading →

Most popular surnames in the United States

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Having a popular surname has it’s disadvantages when it comes to genealogy. As you put together your family tree, it can become difficult to discern between someone who is your relative, and someone who is not your relative, but does have the same last name as you do. This can be especially difficult if you happen to have one of the most common surnames in the United States of America. What are those names? According to census data from 1990, the tenth most popular surname in the United States is Taylor. This last name comes from English origin. It means … Continue reading →

2000 Census and the Surname Washington

The 2000 census is not the most recent census for the United States anymore, now that the 2010 census has been taken. However, it is the most current census that data has been compiled from. One of the most interesting things that can be learned from a census is the percentage of people who have the same surname. The 2000 census found that 90% of the people who had the surname Washington were black. This brings up questions about how the surname Washington relates to George Washington, if at all. The census tallies up a lot of information about each … Continue reading →

A Tale of Clans and Tartans

While I do not know much about my Scottish ancestors, I do know that they were part of the Rutherford clan. Since I have Scottish ancestors, I decided to learn more about exactly what the Scottish Clans are all about. My search took me to www.scotclans.com, where I found quite a bit of information about my ancestors’ clan and about the clan system. The clan system in Scotland is a means by which Scots and their descendants all over the world can share a sense of common identity. The clans originated from geographical areas that were controlled by the clan … Continue reading →