American Last Name Generator

Random American last names straight from the 2020 Census list of more than 156,000 US surnames, each with its real count.

Real American last names, with real counts

This random American last name generator draws from the US Census Bureau’s 2020 surname file: every last name shared by at least 100 people in the United States, more than 156,000 names in all. Each card shows the name’s rank and how many Americans have it. Tap a card for its full breakdown, or look up any name with the surname lookup.

Filter random American last names

How common: Very common shows the top 1,000; Common the top 10,000; Rare and Very rare reach names shared by a few hundred people.

Ethnicity (Census): show names where most people with the name are White, Black, Hispanic or Latino, or Asian or Pacific Islander. This uses the Census groups for people who have each name, not the name’s origin.

Starts with and length: for a name that fits a monogram or a jersey.

Frequently asked questions

What is the most common last name in America?

Smith, shared by 2,369,644 people in the 2020 Census.

Can I get African American last names?

Set Ethnicity to Mostly Black to see surnames where most people with the name identified as Black in the Census. Names like Williams, Johnson and Jackson are shared widely across groups, so the filter shows only names where one group is the majority.

Are these names from real people?

They’re real surnames, each shared by at least 100 people. The Census publishes counts per surname, not lists of people.

Can I get a first name with it?

Yes. Set Gender preference and every card gets a real first name.

American Last Name Generator

Real American last names, with real counts

Filter random American last names

What American last names look like today

Frequently asked questions

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