Surnames on the United States Popularity List

This is a list of surnames in which the name appears on the United States popularity list.
usage
Shibuya Japanese
From Japanese (shibu) meaning "astringent, rough" and (ya) meaning "valley".
Shimada Japanese
From Japanese (shima) meaning "island" and (ta) meaning "field, rice paddy".
Shimamura Japanese
From Japanese (shima) meaning "island" and (mura) meaning "town, village".
Shimizu Japanese
From Japanese (shi) meaning "clear, pure, clean" and (mizu) meaning "water".
Shin Korean
Korean form of Shen, from Sino-Korean (sin).
Shine 1 English
Means "beautiful, attractive" from Old English sciene.
Shine 2 Irish
Anglicized form of Ó Seighin.
Shinkawa Japanese
From Japanese (shin) meaning "fresh, new" and (kawa) meaning "river, stream".
Shinoda Japanese
From Japanese (shino) meaning "dwarf bamboo" and (ta) meaning "field, rice paddy".
Shinohara Japanese
From Japanese (shino) meaning "dwarf bamboo" and (hara) meaning "field, plain".
Shinozaki Japanese
From Japanese (shino) meaning "dwarf bamboo" and (saki) meaning "cape, peninsula".
Shirai Japanese
From Japanese (shira) meaning "white" and (i) meaning "well, mine shaft, pit".
Shiraishi Japanese
From Japanese (shira) meaning "white" and (ishi) meaning "stone".
Shirakawa Japanese
From Japanese (shira) meaning "white" and (kawa) meaning "river, stream".
Shiratori Japanese
From Japanese (shira) meaning "white" and (tori) meaning "bird".
Shirazi Persian
Originally denoted someone who came from the city of Shiraz, located in southern Iran. The city's name is possibly of Elamite origin.
Shirley English
From an English place name, derived from Old English scir "bright" and leah "woodland, clearing".
Short English
From a nickname for a short person, from Middle English schort.
Shriver German
German cognate of Scriven.
Shvets Ukrainian
Means "shoemaker" in Ukrainian.
Siddall English
From the name of various English towns, derived from Old English sid "wide" and halh "nook, recess".
Sidney English
Originally derived from various place names in England meaning "wide island", from Old English sid "wide" and eg "island". Another theory holds that it comes from the name of a town in Normandy called "Saint Denis", though evidence for this is lacking.
Siebert German
Derived from the given name Siegbert.
Siegel 1 German
Occupational name for a maker of seals or signet rings, ultimately from Latin sigillum "seal".
Siegel 2 German
Derived from the diminutive of Old German given names beginning with the element sigu meaning "victory".
Sieger German
From the given name Sieghard.
Siegert German
Derived from the given name Sieghard.
Siekert German (Rare)
Derived from the given name Sieghard.
Siemon German
Variant of Simon.
Siena Italian
Indicated a person from Siena in Italy, which was named after the Gaulish tribe of the Senones.
Sienkiewicz Polish
Patronymic from the given name Sienko, an old diminutive of Szymon. This was the surname of the Polish writer Henryk Sienkiewicz (1846-1916).
Sierra Spanish
Originally indicated a dweller on a hill range or ridge, from Spanish sierra "mountain range", derived from Latin serra "saw".
Sigourney English
From the name of the commune of Sigournais in western France, called Segurniacum in medieval Latin, itself of unknown meaning.
Sikora Polish
Means "tit (bird)" in Polish.
Silva Portuguese, Spanish
From Spanish or Portuguese silva meaning "forest". This is the most common surname in Portugal and Brazil.
Silveira Portuguese
Means "forests" in Portuguese.
Silver English
From a nickname for a person with grey hair, from Old English seolfor "silver".
Silvestri Italian
Derived from the given name Silvester.
Šimek m Czech
Derived from the name Šimek, a diminutive of Šimon.
Simen English (Rare)
From the given name Simon 1.
Simeonov m Bulgarian
Means "son of Simeon".
Šimić Croatian
Means "son of Šime".
Šimko m Slovak
From a diminutive of the given name Šimon.
Simmon German
From the given name Simon 1.
Simmons English
Derived from the given name Simon 1.
Simms English
Derived from the medieval given name Sim, a short form of Simon 1.
Simões Portuguese
Means "son of Simão" in Portuguese.
Šimon m Slovak, Czech
Derived from the given name Šimon.
Simón Spanish
From the given name Simón.
Simon English, French, German, Dutch, Hungarian, Jewish
Derived from the given name Simon 1.
Šimonis m Lithuanian
Means "son of Simonas".
Simonis Dutch
Means "son of Simon 1".
Simons English, German
Derived from the given name Simon 1.
Simonson English
Means "son of Simon 1".
Simpkin English
From a diminutive of the given name Simon 1.
Simpson English
Means "son of Sim", Sim being a medieval short form of Simon 1. This is the name of a fictional American family on the animated television series The Simpsons, starting 1989.
Sims English
Variant of Simms.
Šimunović Croatian
Means "son of Šimun".
Sinagra 1 Italian
Originally denoted a person from Sinagra on Sicily, possibly derived from Latin sinus "inlet" and ager "field".
Sinagra 2 Italian
Derived from the given name Senagora, an Italian form of Xenagoras.
Sinclair English
Derived from a Norman French town called "Saint Clair".
Singh Hindi, Marathi, Nepali, Punjabi, Indian (Sikh)
From Sanskrit सिंह (sinha) meaning "lion". In 1699 Guru Gobind Singh gave all his Sikh male followers the surname Singh and all females Kaur. It is among the most common surnames in India.
Sipos Hungarian
Occupational name for a fife player or piper, from Hungarian síp "whistle, pipe".
Siskin Jewish
Variant of Ziskind.
Sitko Polish
Means "fine sieve" in Polish, a diminutive of the Polish word sito "sieve".
Sitz 1 German
Derived from a given name beginning with the Old High German element sigu meaning "victory".
Sitz 2 German
Means "house owner", derived from Old High German siz "seat, domicile".
Sjöberg Swedish
From Swedish sjö (Old Norse sær) meaning "lake, sea" and berg meaning "mountain".
Sjögren Swedish
From Swedish sjö (Old Norse sær) meaning "lake, sea" and gren (Old Norse grein) meaning "branch".
Skála m Czech
Means "rock" in Czech, indicating that the original bearer lived near a prominent rock.
Skała Polish
Polish cognate of Skála.
Skalický m Czech, Slovak
Indicated the original bearer came from a place named Skalice, Skalica or Skalička in the Czech Republic or Slovakia, derived from the Slavic root skala meaning "rock".
Skinner English
Occupational name for a person who skinned animals, from Old Norse skinn.
Skov Danish
Topographic name meaning "forest, wood" in Danish, from Old Norse skógr.
Slade English
Derived from Old English slæd meaning "valley".
Slane Irish
Originally indicated a person from Slane, County Meath, Ireland, which is derived from the given name Sláine.
Śląski m Polish
Polish cognate of Slezák.
Slater English
Occupational name indicating that an early member worked covering roofs with slate, from Old French esclat "shard", of Germanic origin.
Slávik m Slovak
Slovak cognate of Slavík.
Slavík m Czech
Means "nightingale" in Czech.
Slezák m Czech, Slovak
Originally a name for a person from Silesia, a historical region that is nowadays split between Poland, Germany and the Czech Republic.
Sloan Irish
From Irish Ó Sluaghadháin meaning "descendant of Sluaghadhán".
Sloane Irish
Variant of Sloan.
Slováček m Czech
Variant of Slovák.
Slovák m Slovak, Czech
Originally described one who was from Slovakia.
Ślusarczyk Polish
Diminutive form of Ślusarski.
Ślusarski m Polish
Occupational name for a locksmith, from Polish ślusarz, of Germanic origin.
Small English
From a nickname for a small person, from Middle English smal.
Smalls English
Variant of Small.
Smedley English
From an unidentified place name probably meaning "smooth clearing" in Old English.
Smeets Dutch
Variant of Smit.
Smets Dutch
Variant of Smit.
Smirnov m Russian
Derived from Russian смирный (smirny) meaning "quiet, peaceful, timid". This is one of the most common surnames in Russia.
Smirnova f Russian
Feminine form of Smirnov.
Smit Dutch
From Middle Dutch smit "metalworker, blacksmith", a cognate of Smith.
Smith English
Means "metalworker, blacksmith" from Old English smiþ, related to smitan "to smite, to hit". It is the most common surname in most of the English-speaking world. A famous bearer was the Scottish economist Adam Smith (1723-1790).
Smits Dutch
Variant of Smit.
Smola m Czech
Czech form of Smolak.
Smolak Polish
Occupational name for a distiller of pitch, derived from the Old Slavic word smola meaning "pitch, resin".
Smythe English
Variant of Smith.
Snell English
From Old English snel meaning "fast, quick, nimble".
Snider English
Variant of Snyder.
Śniegowski m Polish
Habitational name for a person from Sniegow, Sniegowo or other places with a name derived from Polish śnieg "snow".
Snyder English
Means "tailor", derived from Middle English snithen "to cut", an occupational name for a person who stitched coats and clothing.
Soares Portuguese
Means "son of Suero".
Sobel Jewish
Variant of Sobol.
Soból Polish
Polish cognate of Sobol.
Sobol Ukrainian, Russian, Jewish
Occupational name for a fur trader, from the Slavic word sobolĭ meaning "sable, marten". As a Jewish name it is ornamental.
Söderberg Swedish
From Swedish söder (Old Norse suðr) meaning "south" and berg meaning "mountain".
Söderström Swedish
From Swedish söder (Old Norse suðr) meaning "south" and ström (Old Norse straumr) meaning "stream".
Sokal Polish
Polish cognate of Sokol.
Sokół Polish
Polish cognate of Sokol.
Sokol m & u Slovak, Czech, Jewish
From Czech and Slovak sokol meaning "falcon", a nickname or an occupational name for a falconer. As a Jewish name it is ornamental.
Sokoll Jewish
Variant of Sokol.
Sokoloff Jewish
Means "son of Sokol".
Sokolov m Russian, Bulgarian
Means "son of Sokol".
Sokolova f Russian, Bulgarian
Feminine form of Sokolov.
Sokolová f Slovak, Czech
Feminine form of Sokol.
Sokolovskaya f Russian
Feminine form of Sokolovsky.
Sokolovsky m Russian
Means "son of Sokol".
Sokołowski m Polish
Usually refers to the city of Sokołów Podlaski in Poland. It may sometimes be derived from Polish sokół meaning "falcon".
Sokolsky Jewish
Means "son of Sokol".
Solak Turkish
From the nickname solak meaning "left-handed".
Solberg Norwegian, Swedish
From a place name, derived from Old Norse sól meaning "sun" and berg meaning "mountain". As a Swedish name it may be ornamental.
Soldati Italian
From Italian soldato meaning "soldier", ultimately from Latin solidus, a type of Roman coin.
Soler Occitan, Catalan
Denoted a person from any of the numerous places in the area whose names derive from Occitan or Catalan soler meaning "ground, floor".
Solheim Norwegian
From the name various of various villages in Norway, derived from Old Norse sól meaning "sun" and heimr meaning "home".
Solís Spanish
From the name of a village in Asturias, Spain, derived from Spanish sol "sun".
Solo Basque
Means "rural estate" in Basque.
Solomon English, Romanian, Jewish
Derived from the given name Solomon.
Somma Italian
From the names of Italian places like Somma Lombardo or Somma Vesuviana, derived from Latin summa meaning "summit".
Sommer 1 German, English
Means "summer", from Old High German sumar or Old English sumor. This was a nickname for a cheerful person, someone who lived in a sunny spot, or a farmer who had to pay taxes in the summer.
Sommer 2 German
From Middle High German sumber or sommer meaning "basket, wickerwork, drum".
Somogyi Hungarian
Originally indicated a person from Somogy, a region within Hungary. It may be derived from Hungarian som meaning "cornel tree".
Son Korean
Korean form of Sun, from Sino-Korean (son).
Song Chinese, Korean
From Chinese (sòng) referring to the Song dynasty, which ruled China from 960 to 1279.
Sonnen German
Means "sun" from Middle High German sunne. It probably denoted someone of cheerful temperament or a person who lived in a sunny area.
Sordi Italian
From Italian sordo meaning "deaf", from Latin surdus.
Sörensen Swedish
Swedish form of Sørensen.
Sorg German
Variant of Sorge.
Sorge German
Means "worry, care, anxiety" in German, from Old High German sorga.
Soriano Italian
From place names such as Soriano Calabro and Soriano nel Cimino. It is typical of southern Italy.
Sörös Hungarian
From Hungarian sör meaning "beer". Originally the name was given to beer brewers.
Sorrentino Italian
Derived from the town of Sorrento near Naples, called Surrentum in Latin, of unknown meaning.
Sosa Spanish
Spanish form of Sousa.
Soto Spanish
Means "grove of trees, small forest" in Spanish, ultimately from Latin saltus.
Souček m Czech
From Czech suk meaning "tree knot". This could either be a topographic name or a nickname for a stubborn person.
Soucy French
Originally denoted someone from French towns by this name in Aisne or Yonne, both derived from the Latin name Suciacum.
Soukup m Czech
Means "co-buyer" in Czech, an occupational name for a merchant.
Soun Khmer
Means "garden" in Khmer.
Sousa Portuguese
Originally indicated someone who lived near the River Sousa in Portugal, possibly derived from Latin salsus "salty" or saxa "rocks".
Southers German
Possibly an Americanized form of Sauter.
Southgate English
Name for a person who lived near the southern gate of a town or in a town named Southgate, from Old English suþ and gæt.
Sowards English, Irish
Possibly a variant of Seward 1 or Seward 3.
Sówka Polish
From a diminutive of Polish sowa meaning "owl".
Spada Italian
Occupational name for an armourer or swordsman, from Italian spada "sword", Latin spatha.
Spalding English
From the name of the town of Spalding in Lincolnshire, derived from the Anglo-Saxon tribe of the Spaldingas.
Spannagel German
Occupational name for a nailsmith, from Middle High German span nagel "connecting bolt".
Spanò Sicilian
From Sicilian spanu meaning "sparse, thin hair", ultimately from Greek σπάνιος (spanios) meaning "scarce, rare".
Spanos m Greek
Means "hairless, beardless" in Greek, ultimately from σπάνιος (spanios) meaning "scarce, rare".
Sparacello Italian
From Sicilian sparaciu meaning "asparagus", an occupational name for an asparagus seller or grower.
Sparks English
From an Old Norse nickname or byname derived from sparkr meaning "sprightly".
Spear English
From Old English spere "spear", an occupational name for a hunter or a maker of spears, or a nickname for a thin person.
Spearing English
Patronymic form of Spear.
Spears English
Patronymic form of Spear.
Specht German
Means "woodpecker" in German.
Speight English
English form of Specht, probably a loanword from German or Dutch.
Spellmeyer German
Possibly from German spielen meaning "to play, to jest" combined with meyer meaning "village headman". Perhaps it referred to someone who was played or acted as the village headman.
Spencer English
Occupational name for a person who dispensed provisions to those who worked at a manor, derived from Middle English spense "larder, pantry".
Speziale Italian
Means "grocer" in Italian, derived from Latin speciarius "spice seller".
Spiker Dutch
Americanized form of Spijker 1 or Spijker 2.
Spillum Norwegian
Originally denoted a person from Spillum, Norway.
Spirou Greek
Alternate transcription of Greek Σπύρου (see Spyrou).
Spitz German
Means "sharp" in German, indicating the original bearer lived near a pointed hill.
Spitznagel German
Means "sharp nail" in German, an occupational name for a nailsmith.
Spooner English
Occupational name for a maker of spoons or a maker of shingles, derived from Middle English spone meaning "chip of wood, spoon".
Spurling English
From Middle English sparewe "sparrow" and the diminutive suffix -ling.
Stabile Italian
From the medieval Italian given name Stabile meaning "stable, firm".
Stacey English
Variant of Stacy.
Stack English
From a nickname for a big person, derived from Middle English stack "haystack", of Old Norse origin.
Stacks English
Variant of Stack.
Stacy English
Derived from Stace, a medieval form of Eustace.
Stafford English
From the name of the English city of Stafford, Staffordshire, derived from Old English stæð meaning "wharf, landing place" and ford meaning "ford, river crossing".
Stamp English
Originally denoted a person from Étampes near Paris. It was called Stampae in Latin, but the ultimate origin is uncertain.
Stan Romanian
Derived from the given name Stan 2.
Stanciu Romanian
Derived from Romanian stânci meaning "rocks".
Staněk m Czech
Derived from a diminutive of the given name Stanislav.
Stanek Polish
Derived from a diminutive of the given name Stanisław.
Stanford English
Derived from various English place names meaning "stone ford" in Old English.
Stankevičius m Lithuanian
Lithuanian form of Stankiewicz.
Stankiewicz Polish
From a diminutive of Stanisław.
Stanković Serbian
Means "son of Stanko".
Stanley English
From various place names meaning "stone clearing" in Old English. A notable bearer was the British-American explorer and journalist Henry Morton Stanley (1841-1904).
Stanton English
From one of the many places named Stanton or Staunton in England, derived from Old English stan meaning "stone" and tun meaning "enclosure, town".
Stárek m Czech
From a nickname derived from Czech starý meaning "old".
Starek Polish
From a nickname derived from Polish stary meaning "old".
Stark English, German
From a nickname meaning "strong, rigid", from Old English stearc or Old High German stark.
Starosta Polish
Means "mayor, leader, elder" in Polish.
Starr English
From Middle English sterre meaning "star". This was usually a nickname, but it could also occasionally be a sign name from the name of an inn called the Star.
Starrett Scottish
Originally indicated a person from Stairaird, an estate in Scotland.
Stasiuk Ukrainian, Polish
From a diminutive of the given name Stanislav.
Šťastný m Czech
Means "happy" in Czech.
Statham English
From the name of a village in the English county of Cheshire, derived from Old English stæð meaning "wharf, landing place" and ham "home, settlement".
Stauss German
Means "buttocks" from Middle High German stuz.
Stavrou Greek
From the given name Stavros.
Stawski m Polish
Derived from Polish staw meaning "pond".
Steed English
Occupational name for one who tended horses, derived from Middle English steed, in turn derived from Old English steda meaning "stallion".
Steele English
Occupational name for a steelworker, from Old English stele meaning "steel".
Steen Low German
Low German variant of Stein. A famous bearer was the 17th-century Dutch painter Jan Steen.
Steensen Danish
Means "son of Steen".
Stefanidis m Greek
Means "son of Stefanos" in Greek.
Stefanović Serbian
Means "son of Stefan".
Stefansson Swedish
Means "son of Stefan".
Steffen Low German, English
Derived from the given name Stephen.
Steffensen Danish
Means "son of Steffen".
Stein German, Jewish
From Old High German stein meaning "stone". It might indicate the original bearer lived near a prominent stone or worked as a stonecutter. As a Jewish name it is ornamental.
Steiner German
Variant of Stein.
Steinmann German
Means "stone man" in German, used as a habitational name for a person who lived near a prominent stone or an occupational name for a stone worker.
Stenberg Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Derived from Scandinavian sten (Old Norse steinn) meaning "stone" and berg meaning "mountain". As a Swedish name it is ornamental.
Stendahl Swedish
Ornamental name derived from Swedish sten (Old Norse steinn) meaning "stone" and dal (Old Norse dalr) meaning "valley".
Stenger German
Occupational name for a post maker, from Old High German stanga "pole".
Štěpánek m Czech
Derived from a diminutive of the given name Štěpán.
Stepanov m Russian
Means "son of Stepan".
Stepanova f Russian
Feminine form of Stepanov.
Stephens English
Derived from the given name Stephen.
Stephenson English
Means "son of Stephen".
Stępień Polish
Possibly an occupational name for a herbalist, from Polish stępa "mortar".
Sterling Scottish
Derived from city of Stirling, which is itself of unknown meaning.
Stern 1 English
From Old English styrne meaning "stern, severe". This was used as a nickname for someone who was stern, harsh, or severe in manner or character.
Stern 2 German, Jewish
German cognate of Starr.
Sternberg Jewish
Ornamental name derived from old German stern "star" and berg "mountain".
Stetson English
Possibly from the name of the village of Stidston in Devon, meaning "Stithweard's town".
Steube German
Variant of Steuben.
Steuben German
Name for a dweller by a stump of a large tree, from Middle Low German stubbe "stub".
Stewart Scottish
Occupational name for an administrative official of an estate or steward, from Old English stig "house" and weard "guard". The Stewart family (sometimes spelled Stuart) held the Scottish crown for several centuries. One of the most famous members of the Stewart family was Mary, Queen of Scots.
Stieber German
Derived from Middle High German stiuben meaning "to run away". It may have been given as a nickname to a cowardly person or a thief.
Stilo Italian
Derived from the name of the town of Stilo in southern Italy. It is possibly derived from Greek στῦλος (stylos) meaning "column, pillar".
St John English
From a place named for Saint John.
St Martin French
From a place named for Saint Martin.
Stoddard English
Occupational name for a horse keeper, from Old English stod "stallion, stud" and hierde "herder".
Stoica Romanian
From Romanian stoic meaning "stoic, impassive".
Stojanov m Macedonian
Means "son of Stojan".
Stojanovski m Macedonian
Means "son of Stojan".
Stoke English
From the name of numerous places in England, derived from Old English stoc meaning "place, dwelling".
Stokes English
Variant of Stoke.
Stolarz Polish
Occupational name from Polish stolarz meaning "joiner, maker of furniture".
Stone English
Name for a person who lived near a prominent stone or worked with stone, derived from Old English stan.
Stoyanov m Bulgarian
Means "son of Stoyan".
Stoyanova f Bulgarian
Feminine form of Stoyanov.
St Pierre French
From a French place named for Saint Peter.
Strand Norwegian, Swedish, Danish
From Old Norse strǫnd meaning "beach, sea shore". It was originally given to someone who lived on or near the sea.
Strange English
Derived from Middle English strange meaning "foreign", ultimately from Latin extraneus.
Straub German
From Old High German strub meaning "rough, unkempt".
Street English
Habitational name for a person who lived in a place called Street, for example in Somerset. It is derived from Old English stræt meaning "Roman road", from Latin strata.
Strickland English
From the name of a town in Cumbria, derived from Old English stirc "calf, young bullock" and land "cultivated land".
Stringer English
Occupational name for a maker of string or bow strings, from Old English streng "string".
Strnad m & u Czech, Slovene
Means "bunting (bird)" in Czech and Slovene.
Strobel German
Diminutive form of Straub.
Strohkirch German
Means "straw church" in German.
Ström Swedish
Means "stream" in Swedish.
Strøm Norwegian, Danish
Means "stream" in Norwegian and Danish.
Stroman German
Means "straw man" in German, an occupational name for a seller of straw.
Strömberg Swedish
From Swedish ström (Old Norse straumr) meaning "stream" and berg meaning "mountain".
Strong English
Nickname derived from Middle English strong or strang meaning "strong".
Stroud English
From Old English strod meaning "marshy ground overgrown with brushwood".
Strudwick English
From an English place name derived from Old English strod meaning "marshy ground overgrown with brushwood" and wic meaning "village, town".
Struna Slovene
From Slovene struna meaning "string, cord", possibly denoting a maker of rope.
Stuber German
Occupational name for the owner of an inn, derived from Old High German stuba "room".
Stück German, Jewish
From Old High German stucki meaning "piece, part".
Stumpf German
Nickname for a short person or a topographic name someone who lived near a prominent stump, from Middle High German stumpf.
Sturm German
Means "storm" in German, originally a nickname for a volatile person.
Styles English
Locational name for one who lived near a steep hill, from Old English stigol "stile, set of steps".
Su Chinese
From Chinese () meaning "perilla", also referring to an ancient minor state called Su.
Suárez Spanish
Means "son of Suero".
Suchá f Czech, Slovak
Feminine form of Suchý.
Suchý m Czech, Slovak
Means "dry" in Czech and Slovak. This was a nickname for a thin person.
Suen Chinese (Cantonese)
Cantonese romanization of Sun.