The Most Common Last Names in Iowa-Is One Yours?
My name isn't a common one (though it is highly alliterative) but exactly how common can surnames get?
Chances are a lot of us have met someone else with our last names at some point. We've probably heard, "Are you related to those (surname)?" At which point it's an awkward "um nope". Or "ugh yes that's my idiot cousin".
If you have an unusual last name, you've probably heard it pronounced 57 different ways in your lifetime by teachers doing roll calls, announcers, and friends trying to sound it out. It's especially true if your last name comes from a different language. You've probably thought of ways to explain it like "rhymes with", "sounds like", etc.
How Unique Is Your Name?
While I have what is quite possibly the most common first name given to females across the planet, I have still met others with my last name but never a combination of the two. My first name has no unnecessary 'y's', 'x's', or 'z's' like a lot of baby names nowadays so how will I ever be ~unique~?
What's The Most Common Last Name In Iowa?
Ancestry.com says that the top three most common surnames in Iowa are:
- Smith
- Williams
- Anderson
Sounds like an old English writer does it not? Ancestry looked at the top three most common surnames in every state. What's not surprising is that Smith is in the top three of nearly every state.
Other common ones that pop up on the map include Miller, Brown, and Jones. It's the Southwestern part of the U.S. that has variety, with common names like Garcia, Hernandez, Chavez, and Martinez.
Here's Ancestry's map:
Do any of these surprise you? Are any of them your own last name?