The Most Common Last Names in the US, UK and Australia
Published 15 November 2026 · Fun & Text
Try it nowLast Name Generator →Need a realistic surname for a character or project? Try the last name generator. Here are the most common names and their stories.
United States
Smith, Johnson, Williams, Brown, Jones, Garcia, Miller, Davis, Rodriguez, Martinez – a mix of English and Hispanic heritage.
United Kingdom
Smith, Jones, Williams, Taylor, Brown, Davies, Evans, Wilson, Thomas, Johnson – Welsh names like Jones and Davies rank highly.
Australia
Smith, Jones, Williams, Brown, Wilson, Taylor, Johnson, White, Martin, Anderson – reflecting British and Irish settlement, plus growing Asian surnames such as Nguyen and Lee.
Where surnames come from
| Type | Examples |
|---|---|
| Occupation | Smith, Taylor, Baker, Miller |
| Father’s name | Johnson, Williams, O’Brien, Fernández |
| Place | Hill, Wood, Lombardi |
| Nickname | Brown, White, Klein |
Writing tip
Match surnames to a character’s background and era – an occupational English name feels different from a Gaelic or Italian one.
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15 Nov 2026