Last Name Frequency Checker — How Common Is Your Surname?
Smith is shared by ~2.4 million Americans. Type your last name to see its estimated count, national rank, and rarity tier.
Surname Frequency Checker
How surname frequency is measured
The US Census Bureau publishes surname files after each Census, tracking every surname that appears at least 100 times. Rank 1 is the most common; names with fewer than 100 bearers are not published for privacy.
Surname rarity tiers
| Tier | US count | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Very Common | 500,000+ | One of the top surnames in America |
| Common | 100,000–499,999 | Recognized nationwide |
| Uncommon | 10,000–99,999 | Known regionally |
| Rare | 1,000–9,999 | Specific communities or regions |
| Very Rare | 100–999 | Barely above the Census threshold |