# Where does your last name rank? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 27, 2003, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-your-last-name-rank/215584 "2003-11-27T16:10:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![zev\_steinhardt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/97f17d/32.png) [@zev\_steinhardt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zev_steinhardt)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-your-last-name-rank/215584/1 "2003-11-27T16:10:33Z")
I found [this](http://www.census.gov/genealogy/names/dist.all.last) amusing little file from the U.S. Census Bureau. It lists the top 88799 last names in the U.S. (in order of popularity - based on the 1990 census) Warning: file takes a minute or so to load). So, where do you rank? Steinhardt is at 27,052 (woo-hoo, we’re not last!!) If you don’t want us to know your actual last name, just tell us what hundred you’re in (300s, 2500s, 49250s, etc.) And while we’re at it, [here](http://www.census.gov/genealogy/names/dist.female.first) is a list of the 4275 most popular female first names and [here](http://www.census.gov/genealogy/names/dist.male.first) is a list of the 1219 most popular male first names (Zev is not on the list). Zev Steinhardt ---
**Author:** ![ShadiRoxan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@ShadiRoxan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadiRoxan)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-your-last-name-rank/215584/2 "2003-11-27T16:16:30Z")
Trout is 2513. I’ll be moving to 101 when I get married. ---
**Author:** ![rsa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/839c29/32.png) [@rsa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsa)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-your-last-name-rank/215584/3 "2003-11-27T16:23:00Z")
August is #4371. ---
**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-your-last-name-rank/215584/4 "2003-11-27T16:24:10Z")
Hyphenated last name, so I averaged it. 42878.5 First name is between 100 and 150. I’m very surprised at that, primarily because the only other person I’ve ever met who has the same name as me was about 90. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Mad\_Hermit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b5ac83/32.png) [@The\_Mad\_Hermit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Mad_Hermit)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-your-last-name-rank/215584/5 "2003-11-27T16:24:46Z")
Wow. Mine is 422. You can figure it out. ---
**Author:** ![Armilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e19b73/32.png) [@Armilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Armilla)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-your-last-name-rank/215584/6 "2003-11-27T16:25:37Z")
My last name comes just comfortably inside the top 500 and my first name isn’t on the list at all (unless you Anglicise the spelling). I just spent five minutes searching it for rude words and wondering why people _keep_ those names. Tee hee…53492 ---
**Author:** ![Mycroft\_Holmes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a5b964/32.png) [@Mycroft\_Holmes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mycroft_Holmes)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-your-last-name-rank/215584/7 "2003-11-27T16:29:18Z")
My last name is ranked 329 (It would probably rank a lot higher in Germany. Definitely somewhere in the top five). My first name isn’t on the list. ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-your-last-name-rank/215584/8 "2003-11-27T16:31:29Z")
My last name is 1245th. My first name is 100th. Robin ---
**Author:** ![Kid\_A\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Kid\_A\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kid_A_1)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-your-last-name-rank/215584/9 "2003-11-27T16:31:49Z")
Wow, my first name is first on the list, and my last name is nowhere on the list. Doesn’t surprise me though, since it was created by the Greek government after WWII. ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-your-last-name-rank/215584/10 "2003-11-27T16:34:36Z")
Nguyen came in at 229. That’s not me, though. Castro comes in at 282, Bush at 304 and Hussein at 22190 (right behind Hypolite). My last name didn’t make the list. My given name shows up as a last name in the high 700s. ---
**Author:** ![Chavardz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/91b2a8/32.png) [@Chavardz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chavardz)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-your-last-name-rank/215584/11 "2003-11-27T16:35:41Z")
Wow, I’m number 22 in last names. Rodríguez. And I don’t live in the U.S. of A. That’s funny, that so many latinos pushed the name up. My first name, however, is not on the list. ---
**Author:** ![Mycroft\_Holmes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a5b964/32.png) [@Mycroft\_Holmes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mycroft_Holmes)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-your-last-name-rank/215584/12 "2003-11-27T16:36:08Z")
I also find it interesting that the anglicized spelling (and/or Dutch spelling) of my last name actually ranks higher than the original German spelling (178 compared to 329). Also pretty interesting is that “Nguyen” seems to be by far the highest ranked Asian name. Much higher than any of the Chinese surnames. The whole thing makes for really interesting reading. ---
**Author:** ![Chavardz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/91b2a8/32.png) [@Chavardz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chavardz)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-your-last-name-rank/215584/13 "2003-11-27T16:38:43Z")
Hey, my second last name (we mexicans use both our father’s and mother’s last name) is 18. I’m way up there. ---
**Author:** ![Mycroft\_Holmes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a5b964/32.png) [@Mycroft\_Holmes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mycroft_Holmes)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-your-last-name-rank/215584/14 "2003-11-27T16:39:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mycroft Holmes \* > **Also pretty interesting is that “Nguyen” seems to be by far the highest ranked Asian name. Much higher than any of the Chinese surnames.** Whoops, I missed “Kim”, just four positions below “Nguyen”. I guess there’s either a lot more Koreans and Vietnamese than Chinese in the States, or the Chinese have more surnames to choose from. ---
**Author:** ![TroubleAgain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e480ec/32.png) [@TroubleAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroubleAgain)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-your-last-name-rank/215584/15 "2003-11-27T16:40:35Z")
Married name in the 2000’s, maiden name in the 11000-12000 range! First name in the top 150 of female first names. ---
**Author:** ![Lady\_Venom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9fc348/32.png) [@Lady\_Venom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lady_Venom)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-your-last-name-rank/215584/16 "2003-11-27T16:41:01Z")
My current last name is in the high 100’s, my future last name is in the mid 77000’s and my maiden name is in the high 1200’s. My first name is in the low 300’s. No wonder I can’t find my name on anything! ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-your-last-name-rank/215584/17 "2003-11-27T16:43:48Z")
My actual surname is around 72,000 ---
**Author:** ![delphica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-your-last-name-rank/215584/18 "2003-11-27T16:44:05Z")
My last name doesn’t make the list, I’m not too surprised because it was an Ellis Island created name. However, I notice that all of my family members’ first names are in the top 15 first names. At first I thought that was boring, and then I realized it makes sense to give your kids a common, familiar first name when they are going to have a lifetime of repeating the spelling of their last name. ---
**Author:** ![Atreyu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@Atreyu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atreyu)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-your-last-name-rank/215584/19 "2003-11-27T16:45:03Z")
My last name is in the top 100. My legal first name is #4 on the list for male first names. However, I go by my middle name, which is #32. ---
**Author:** ![Sympatha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c57346/32.png) [@Sympatha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sympatha)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-your-last-name-rank/215584/20 "2003-11-27T16:45:08Z")
My last name ranks 68810th in the entire nation! Hehe, Im suprised I made it at all… Not even in the first name list ☹ [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-your-last-name-rank/215584.md?page=2)