The 100 Most Common English Surnames

I had this patient a few years back—we’ll call her Sarah Miller—who was adopted as a baby and spent her whole adult life searching for her birth family. What struck me during our sessions wasn’t just the emotional journey, but how much meaning she attached to names. “Miller,” she’d say. “What does that tell me? Was someone in my family actually a Miller? Did they grind grain? Where?” And I realized something I hadn’t really thought about before: our surnames carry centuries of history, and most of us have no idea what they mean or where they came from.

Names matter psychologically in ways we don’t always acknowledge. They’re part of our identity, our sense of self, our connection to history and family. When someone shares your surname, you feel this instant little connection, even if you’re not related. When you hear your name called, your brain responds differently than to any other sound. And surnames particularly—these inherited labels we carry—they’re like little time capsules linking us to medieval occupations, geographic locations, personal characteristics of ancestors we’ll never meet.

In England specifically, surnames only became fixed and hereditary around the 14th century. Before that, people just had given names, maybe with descriptors that changed based on circumstances. John the Smith’s son might be called William son of John, not William Smith. But as populations grew and administration became more complex, the government needed permanent identifiers for tax purposes. So surnames became standardized and hereditary. What you were called stuck, and then your kids got stuck with it too, and their kids, and suddenly here we are in the 21st century with names that reference jobs that don’t exist anymore.

So I thought it’d be interesting—and maybe useful if you’re into genealogy or just curious about your own name—to go through the 100 most common English surnames and talk about what they actually mean. Where they came from. What they tell us about medieval English life. Because honestly, these names are fascinating windows into history, and once you know the stories behind them, you can’t unknow them. Every Smith you meet becomes a descendant of metalworkers. Every Taylor’s ancestor made clothes. It’s kind of cool when you think about it.

The Top 10: The Big Names Everyone Knows

1. Smith – This is the most common surname in England by a significant margin, held by over 650,000 people. It’s an occupational name for a metalworker—someone who works with metal, particularly a blacksmith. In medieval times, every village needed smiths for tools, weapons, horseshoes, you name it. The occupation was so common that the name became incredibly widespread.

2. Jones – This is a patronymic surname, meaning it derives from a father’s name. Jones means “son of John.” John was an enormously popular name after the Norman Conquest, and in Wales especially, the patronymic tradition was strong. Over 500,000 people in England and Wales have this surname.

3. Williams – Another patronymic, meaning “son of William.” William became popular after William the Conqueror invaded in 1066, and the name stuck. The original Germanic name meant roughly “desire and protection.” Nearly 400,000 people carry this surname.

4. Taylor – An occupational name for someone who made or mended clothes. From the Middle English “taillour,” derived from French. Every community needed tailors, making this a very common surname—over 300,000 bearers in England and Wales.

5. Brown – A nickname surname based on physical appearance, specifically hair color or complexion. If your medieval ancestor had brown hair or a dark complexion, they might be called Brown to distinguish them from others. Nearly 292,000 people have this surname.

6. Davies – Another patronymic, this one meaning “son of David.” The Welsh spelling would be “Dafydd,” which evolved into Davies. Extremely common in Wales and Welsh border areas. About 280,000 bearers.

7. Evans – This is a variant of Evan, which is the Welsh form of John. So it’s another “son of John” surname, just via a different linguistic route. Over 222,000 people have this name.

8. Thomas – From the given name Thomas, which comes from the Aramaic word for “twin.” Made popular by Saint Thomas the Apostle. As a surname, it means “son of Thomas.” About 203,000 bearers.

9. Wilson – Patronymic meaning “son of Will,” which is itself a shortened form of William. Another way that William’s popularity generated multiple common surnames. Over 201,000 people have this name.

10. Johnson – Yet another patronymic meaning “son of John.” The English version as opposed to the Welsh Jones. John/Jon was incredibly popular, generating several of our most common surnames. About 193,000 bearers.

Names 11-30: Still Very Common

11. Roberts – Patronymic meaning “son of Robert.” Robert was introduced by the Normans and became very popular, deriving from Germanic elements meaning “fame-bright.”

12. Robinson – Another patronymic, meaning “son of Robin,” which was a diminutive form of Robert. So basically another variant from the same root as Roberts.

13. Thompson – Patronymic meaning “son of Tom,” which is a short form of Thomas. Notice how popular names spawn multiple surname variations.

14. Wright – Occupational name for a craftsman or builder. From Old English “wryhta.” In medieval times, this could refer to various skilled workers, not just woodworkers as we might think today.

15. Walker – Occupational name for a fuller, someone who cleaned and thickened cloth by beating and trampling it. The process was called “walking” the cloth.

16. White – Nickname surname based on hair color or complexion. Your ancestor probably had very fair or white hair, or a pale complexion.

17. Edwards – Patronymic meaning “son of Edward.” Edward was an Anglo-Saxon name meaning “rich guard” that survived the Norman Conquest.

18. Hughes – From the personal name Hugh, which derives from Germanic “Hugo,” meaning “heart, mind, or spirit.” Common in Welsh and English contexts.

19. Green – Topographic surname for someone who lived near the village green, or possibly another nickname for someone who wore green or liked green.

20. Hall – Topographic or occupational name for someone who lived or worked at a hall, which was typically the largest dwelling in a medieval village.

21. Lewis – From the given name Lewis, which derives from Old French and ultimately from Germanic Ludwig, meaning “famous warrior.”

22. Harris – Patronymic meaning “son of Harry,” which was a common form of Henry. Henry itself means “home ruler.”

23. Clarke – Occupational name for a cleric or clerk, someone who could read and write. In medieval times, literacy was rare and valuable.

24. Patel – This is interesting because it’s not originally English—it’s a Gujarati Indian surname meaning “village headman.” Its appearance in the top 25 most common surnames reflects immigration and changing British demographics.

25. Jackson – Patronymic meaning “son of Jack,” which is a diminutive of John. Yet another John derivative.

26. Wood – Topographic surname for someone who lived in or near a wood or forest.

27. Turner – Occupational name for someone who worked with a lathe, making rounded objects from wood or metal.

28. Martin – From the personal name Martin, which derives from Mars, the Roman god of war. Popularized by Saint Martin of Tours.

29. Cooper – Occupational name for a barrel maker. Coopers made and repaired wooden containers, essential for storage and transport.

30. Hill – Topographic surname for someone who lived on or near a hill.

Names 31-60: Common But Not Ubiquitous

31. Ward – Occupational name for a watchman or guard. From Old English “weard.”

32. Morris – From the given name Maurice, which means “dark-skinned” or “Moorish.”

33. Moore – Topographic name for someone who lived near a moor or marshland.

34. Clark – Alternative spelling of Clarke, same meaning—clerk or cleric.

35. Lee – Topographic name for someone who lived near a meadow or clearing in a forest. From Old English “leah.”

36. King – Occupational or nickname. Could refer to someone who worked for the king, or someone who acted in a king-like manner, or who played a king in medieval pageants.

37. Baker – Occupational name for someone who baked bread. Essential occupation in every community.

38. Harrison – Patronymic meaning “son of Harry,” just with a different construction than Harris.

39. Morgan – Welsh name meaning “sea circle” or “sea chief.” Very common in Wales.

40. Hughes – Variant spelling of Hughes, same meaning.

41. Price – Welsh patronymic meaning “son of Rhys,” which is a Welsh personal name meaning “enthusiasm.”

42. Powell – Welsh name meaning “son of Hywel,” which itself means “eminent.”

43. Long – Nickname for someone who was tall or had long limbs.

44. Russell – Nickname from Old French “rous,” meaning “red-haired.”

45. Griffiths – Welsh patronymic meaning “son of Griffith,” which derives from “Gruffydd,” meaning “strong lord.”

46. West – Topographic name for someone who lived to the west of a settlement, or directional name for someone who came from the west.

47. Mills – Topographic or occupational name for someone who lived near or worked at a mill.

48. Simpson – Patronymic meaning “son of Simon,” from the Hebrew name Shimon.

49. Gibson – Patronymic meaning “son of Gib,” which is a shortened form of Gilbert.

50. Young – Nickname to distinguish between two people with the same name, marking the younger one. Could also describe someone youthful in appearance or manner.

51. Khan – Another surname reflecting immigration, this one from South Asian origins meaning “ruler” or “chief.”

52. Mitchell – From the medieval given name Michel, which is a form of Michael.

53. Cook – Occupational name for someone who prepared food, a cook.

54. Bailey – Occupational or topographic name referring to someone who worked or lived at a bailey (the outer wall or courtyard of a castle).

55. Carter – Occupational name for someone who transported goods by cart.

56. Richardson – Patronymic meaning “son of Richard,” which means “brave power.”

57. Shaw – Topographic name for someone who lived near a small wood or thicket. From Old English “sceaga.”

58. Kelly – Irish surname meaning “descendant of Ceallach,” which could mean “bright-headed” or “war.”

59. Collins – Patronymic meaning “son of Colin,” which is a diminutive of Nicholas.

60. Bell – Occupational name for a bell ringer, or topographic name for someone who lived near the town bell.

Names 61-100: Less Common But Still Widely Recognized

61. Bennett – From the medieval name Benedict, meaning “blessed.”

62. Butler – Occupational name for someone who served wine or managed a household’s wine supplies. From Old French “bouteillier.”

63. Foster – Occupational name for someone who worked in the forest, or nickname for someone who was a foster parent.

64. Gray – Nickname for someone with gray hair.

65. Brooks – Topographic name for someone who lived near a brook or stream.

66. Sanders – Patronymic meaning “son of Alexander.”

67. Palmer – Nickname for someone who had been on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land and brought back a palm frond as proof.

68. Hunt – Occupational name for a hunter or huntsman.

69. Rose – From the flower name, possibly given as a nickname for someone with a rosy complexion, or from living near wild roses.

70. Pearson – Patronymic meaning “son of Piers,” which is a form of Peter.

71. Stone – Topographic name for someone who lived near a prominent stone or rocky area.

72. Webb – Occupational name for a weaver. From Old English “webba.”

73. Barnes – Topographic or occupational name for someone who lived or worked at a barn.

74. Cole – From the personal name Nicholas, or from Middle English “col” meaning “swarthy” or “coal-black.”

75. Lloyd – Welsh name meaning “gray,” probably referring to hair color.

76. Murray – Scottish name meaning “settlement by the sea.”

77. Chapman – Occupational name for a merchant or trader. From Old English “ceapmann.”

78. Richards – Patronymic meaning “son of Richard.”

79. Fox – Nickname for someone thought to be cunning like a fox.

80. Harvey – From the Breton personal name Haerviu, meaning “battle-worthy.”

81. Reynolds – From the personal name Reynold, meaning “counsel power.”

82. Grant – Nickname from Old French “grand,” meaning “large” or “tall.”

83. Stevens – Patronymic meaning “son of Steven,” from the Greek name Stephanos meaning “crown.”

84. Watkins – Patronymic meaning “son of Watkin,” which is a diminutive of Walter.

85. Marshall – Occupational name for someone who took care of horses, or an official in charge of the king’s horses.

86. Day – Occupational name for someone who worked as a dairymaid or dairy farmer, or from a personal name.

87. Barker – Occupational name for someone who tanned leather using tree bark.

88. Gardner – Occupational name for someone who worked as a gardener.

89. Hughes – Alternative spelling, same meaning as Hugh/Hughes mentioned earlier.

90. Fisher – Occupational name for a fisherman.

91. Porter – Occupational name for a gatekeeper or door-keeper, or someone who carried loads.

92. Murray – Scottish surname, already mentioned, meaning “settlement by the sea.”

93. Knight – Occupational name for someone who served as a knight, or more commonly, a servant to a knight.

94. Fleming – Name for someone from Flanders (now part of Belgium).

95. Reynolds – Already mentioned, from the personal name meaning “counsel power.”

96. Henderson – Scottish patronymic meaning “son of Hendry” or Henry.

97. Gordon – Scottish name from a place name, probably meaning “great hill.”

98. Graham – Scottish name from a place name, possibly meaning “gravelly homestead.”

99. Robertson – Patronymic meaning “son of Robert.”

100. Reid – Scottish and Northern English nickname for someone with red hair or a ruddy complexion.

The Four Main Types of English Surnames

If you look at this list, you’ll notice patterns. English surnames generally fall into four main categories, and understanding these helps you decode pretty much any surname you encounter.

First, there are occupational surnames—names based on what your ancestor did for a living. Smith, Taylor, Baker, Cook, Wright, Cooper, Turner, and dozens more. These tell us what jobs were common and important in medieval England. The fact that Smith is the most common surname suggests how crucial metalworking was to daily life.

Second, patronymic surnames—names based on your father’s name. Johnson, Williams, Roberts, Thompson, and all those “-son” names. Also names like Harris and Harrison. The Welsh tradition was particularly strong with patronymics, which is why so many Welsh surnames follow this pattern. These names tell us which personal names were most popular in medieval times.

Third, topographic or geographic surnames—names based on where you lived. Hill, Wood, Green, Moore, Brooks, Stone, West. These describe physical features of the landscape. If you were William who lived by the hill, you became William Hill, and eventually your descendants were just “Hill.”

Fourth, nickname surnames—names based on personal characteristics. Brown, White, Young, Long, Short, Fox. These described appearance, personality, or behavior. Sometimes flattering, sometimes not so much. Imagine being stuck with a surname because your great-great-great-grandfather was short or had a big nose.

Why Surnames Matter Psychologically

From my perspective as a psychologist, surnames are fascinating because they’re this weird intersection of identity and history. Your surname is deeply personal—it’s part of how you introduce yourself, how people remember you, how you sign documents—but it’s also completely impersonal, just an accident of birth.

Research shows that people have emotional attachments to their names. We respond to our names differently than to other words. Our names activate different brain regions. And surnames particularly carry identity weight—they connect us to family, to heritage, to story.

I’ve worked with patients who changed their surnames—through marriage, through adoption, through personal choice—and it’s never trivial. Even when someone desperately wants to shed a surname associated with trauma or abuse, the process of changing it involves identity work. Who are you without that name? What does the new name mean? How do you explain it?

And then there’s the cultural baggage. Some surnames carry privilege, others carry stereotypes. Some are immediately identifiable as belonging to particular ethnic or religious groups, which can trigger bias. The psychology of names includes all this social complexity we often don’t think about.

FAQs About The 100 Most Common English Surnames

Why is Smith the most common surname in England?

Smith is the most common English surname because it was one of the most essential and widespread occupations in medieval England. Every village needed a blacksmith to create and repair metal tools, weapons, horseshoes, and countless other items. Because the occupation was so common, “Smith” as a surname appeared in virtually every community. When surnames became hereditary in the 14th century, there were simply more smiths than any other single occupation, and all their descendants carried the name forward. The surname has remained at the top of the list for centuries, with over 650,000 people in England and Wales currently bearing the name.

Are English surnames still changing today?

While the traditional English surname system is relatively stable, surnames do continue to evolve in certain ways. Immigration brings new surnames into the English-speaking world—notice how Patel and Khan now appear in the list of most common surnames, reflecting demographic changes. Women traditionally change their surnames upon marriage, though this practice is becoming less universal. Some people legally change their surnames for personal, professional, or identity reasons. Double-barreled surnames have become more common as couples combine both partners’ names. However, new occupational surnames aren’t forming the way they did in medieval times—we’re not creating a bunch of “Programmers” or “Influencers” as hereditary family names. The system has largely stabilized into these inherited markers rather than continuing to generate new surnames based on current occupations or characteristics.

What’s the difference between patronymic surnames ending in -son versus those that don’t?

Patronymic surnames that end in “-son” (Johnson, Thompson, Wilson) explicitly mean “son of” the given name. This was particularly common in English and Scottish naming traditions. However, many patronymic surnames don’t include the “-son” suffix. Names like Jones, Williams, Roberts, and Edwards are still patronymic—they still mean “son of John/William/Robert/Edward”—but they use different formations. Welsh surnames particularly often drop the “-son” and just use the possessive form. The “-s” ending can indicate “son of” or just possession. Sometimes the same root name generated multiple surname variants—Robert gave us both Roberts and Robertson, for example. The specific formation often reflects regional dialects and linguistic traditions from different parts of England, Wales, and Scotland.

Can you tell where in England someone’s family is from based on their surname?

Sometimes, yes. Certain surnames are strongly associated with particular regions. Welsh surnames like Jones, Davies, Evans, Williams, and Powell are obviously concentrated in Wales and border regions. Scottish surnames like Campbell, Murray, and Gordon indicate Scottish heritage. Some surnames are associated with specific counties or towns—if your surname is a place name, that might be where your ancestors came from. However, internal migration over centuries has spread surnames throughout England, so it’s not always reliable. A surname study or genealogical research can often trace a surname back to particular regions, but meeting someone with a specific surname today doesn’t necessarily tell you where in England their family currently lives or even where they originated. The distribution has become much more mixed over time, especially with urbanization and modern mobility.

Why are so many common English surnames also occupations?

Occupational surnames are common because occupation was one of the most obvious and useful ways to distinguish between people when surnames were being formed in medieval England. In small communities, you might have had multiple men named John, so they became “John the Smith,” “John the Baker,” “John the Cooper,” etc. When surnames became hereditary, these occupational descriptors stuck. The most common occupations naturally produced the most common surnames. Everyone needed smiths, tailors, bakers, cooks, carpenters, and coopers, so these surnames appeared in virtually every community. Interestingly, very high-status occupations didn’t typically become common surnames—you don’t see many people surnamed “Lord” or “Bishop” because those positions were rare and the people holding them already had established surnames. It was the skilled trade occupations that became the basis for our most widespread surnames.

What happened to English surnames after 1066 and the Norman Conquest?

The Norman Conquest dramatically changed English naming patterns. The Normans brought French and Germanic names that became fashionable among the English, which is why names like William, Robert, Richard, and Henry became so popular and eventually generated many patronymic surnames. Before 1066, Anglo-Saxon names like Edward, Alfred, and Ethelred were common, and some survived (Edwards comes from Edward), but many were replaced by Norman names. The Normans also brought French vocabulary that influenced occupational surnames—”Taylor” comes from French “tailleur,” for example. The conquest essentially created a linguistic blend that shaped English surnames for centuries. Additionally, the Norman administrative system helped formalize and standardize the use of hereditary surnames, which had been more fluid in Anglo-Saxon England. So the conquest didn’t just change which names were popular—it changed the entire system of how English people were named.

Do English surnames have different spellings and why?

Yes, many English surnames have multiple accepted spellings, which happened for several reasons. Medieval spelling was not standardized—even the same person might spell their name differently in different documents. When surnames were being written down, clerks often spelled them phonetically based on how they heard them pronounced, leading to variations. Regional dialects affected pronunciation and therefore spelling. Some variations represent Welsh versus English versions of the same name (Davies vs Davis). Clarke vs Clark is just spelling variation of the same occupational name. Thompson vs Thomson reflects regional preferences. When people emigrated, officials sometimes changed spellings when recording names. Over time, different branches of the same family might have established different “standard” spellings. Even today, you’ll find legitimate spelling variations for many surnames, and both spellings are considered correct for their respective family lines. This is why genealogical research can be tricky—you need to search multiple spelling variants to find all relevant records.

Are there English surnames that have died out?

Yes, many medieval English surnames have disappeared over the centuries. This happens for various reasons. Some families simply had no male heirs to carry on the surname (in the traditional patrilineal system). Some surnames were so unusual or had such negative connotations that descendants deliberately changed them. Wars, plagues, and famines could wipe out entire family lines. Some rare occupational surnames disappeared when the occupations themselves became obsolete. Occasionally families changed surnames to inherit property or titles, abandoning their original name. Migration and assimilation also caused some surnames to be abandoned or Anglicized beyond recognition. There are records of surnames that appear in medieval documents but have no known living bearers today. Conversely, some surnames we think of as ancient actually emerged more recently. The surname landscape is always slowly shifting, though the most common surnames have shown remarkable stability over centuries.

Is it possible to have the same surname but not be related?

Absolutely. Many common surnames arose independently in multiple locations. “Smith” didn’t come from one original smith—every community had smiths who became Smiths. Similarly, Hill arose independently for anyone living near a hill in any village. Occupational, topographic, and nickname surnames especially have multiple points of origin. Two people named Green might descend from completely unrelated ancestors who just happened to live near village greens in different parts of England. Even patronymic surnames arose independently—there were thousands of men named John whose sons became “Johnson,” with no connection between these Johnson families. Some surnames are definitely traced to single family origins, particularly unusual surnames or those derived from specific place names, but the most common surnames almost certainly have multiple unrelated family lines. This is why DNA testing sometimes surprises people who share surnames but show no genetic connection—they’re not actually related, they just ended up with the same occupational or descriptive label centuries ago.