Where is my surname most common

Read on to learn more about the history of surnames. First of all, what is a last name? Not all countries have a tradition of even using surnames , and most of those who do--looking at you, Europe--only adopted them in the late Middle Ages or afterwards.

The tradition of how a surname is assigned, and how it is passed from generation to generation, is complex. Not only does it vary between cultures, how we get our surnames has also shifted over time because of social changes. This tradition decreased somewhat after the suffragette and feminist movements, and continues to decline significantly.

In contrast, the Minangkabau people from West Sumatra don't have familial last names at all. Instead, they have clan names which pass matrilineally. In other words, clan names are passed down to children from their mothers, not their fathers. Also keep in mind that in many cultures and countries, surnames also are a relatively recent phenomenon.

For example, the usage of last names as part of your legal identification in European culture only dates back to about the 15th century. Some places have adopted surnames even more recently. Turkey, for instance, only adopted the usage of surnames in by legal mandate!

According to linguists and anthropologists, last names tend to fall broadly into about five categories:. A surname can also be a combination of these categories for instance Smith refers to the occupation of blacksmithing, the patronymic lineage of being descended from blacksmiths, and notion of being from the working class. Subjugated peoples typically had the surname tradition of their conquerors imposed upon them.

African slaves, for instance, came to the Americas without surnames and were often given the surnames of their owners. And the more territory a country colonized, the more likely it was for their last names to spread--and become more common. So when we look at the most common surnames in the world, we see a snapshot of world history in miniature! We see which people travelled, where they travelled to, and how they assimilated with--or subjugated--the people they met there.

The most common last name in the U. So as of , Smith is still the most common surname name in the U. It has held this distinction since As colonizers, the British brought, and spread, their surnames and naming conventions throughout the US Thus we find numerous insulting surnames, such as Dullard, meaning a hard and conceited man. The majority of surnames are derived from the name of a male ancestor.

These evolved from pre-existing non-permanent naming customs whereby an individual was identified by reference to a male ancestor or ancestors. Grimbald English: Henry son of Grimbald. Such names are essentially the name of the father, sometimes with a suffix or prefix to denote the name as a patronym. For example, Armenian patronyms typically end in -ian, Polish patronyms end in -ski and Irish patronyms begin with Fitz-. Patronymic surnames are indistinguishable from clan surnames, which may be assumed by subjects of a clan leader.

Surnames derived from the occupation of an ancestor are also common, with Smith being the most common surname in the UK. This category of surnames is divided into two groups: standard occupations and titular occupations, such as Stewart, derived from an ancient clan title in Scotland. Topographical surnames can be derived from features of a landscape Hill, Ford or from place names London, Aston, Eaton, Molyneux.

Those surnames derived from place names were initially adopted by families that held land. However, later such adoptions of surnames derived from place names occurred when people moved from one place to another. Descriptive surnames are less common, partly as they were often derived from unflattering characteristics such as: stupidity, girth, baldness and sometimes outright insults like Blackinthemouth. Many of these surnames have disappeared.

Matronymic surnames are derived from the name of a female ancestor usually the mother and are uncommon in most parts of the world. Such names may arise due to illegitimate or posthumous births and occur amongst nobility when the mother was higher ranked than her spouse or 'bit on the side'.

Names Forenames. The study of surnames from country to country serves as a unique guide to the history of human civilization. Historians can form critical insights into culture and settlement patterns, genealogists can trace ancestral roots, and regular people can develop their sense of world-historical identity. To determine the most common last name in every country, NetCredit analyzed surname data from genealogy portal Forebears. Babs is Lead Content Strategist and financial guru.

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Check Your Eligibility. By Barbara Davidson Posted on November 24, Most Popular.