Southern Last Names: A Guide to Common Surnames in the American South

Exploring the roots of Southern heritage, last names play a crucial role in understanding the region's history and cultural tapestry. This list delves into the most common surnames found in the American South, offering insights into their origins, meanings, and connections to the region's diverse population.
1. **Anderson:** Son of Andrew, a common name of Scottish origin.
2. **Baker:** One who bakes bread or works as a baker, an occupational surname.
3. **Barnes:** A surname of English origin, meaning "son of Barnaby."
4. **Bell:** An occupational surname, meaning "bell-maker" or "bell-ringer."
5. **Bennett:** A surname of English origin, meaning "blessed."
6. **Bishop:** An occupational surname, meaning "overseer" or "religious leader."
7. **Black:** A descriptive surname, meaning "one with dark hair or skin."
8. **Blake:** A surname of English origin, meaning "dark" or "black."
9. **Brown:** A descriptive surname, meaning "one with brown hair or skin."
10. **Bryant:** A surname of English origin, meaning "bright" or "shining."
11. **Butler:** An occupational surname, meaning "wine steward."
12. **Campbell:** A surname of Scottish origin, meaning "crooked mouth."
13. **Carter:** An occupational surname, meaning "one who transports goods by cart."
14. **Clark:** An occupational surname, meaning "clerk" or "scribe."
15. **Clayton:** A surname of English origin, meaning "clay town."
16. **Clemons:** A surname of French origin, meaning "son of Clement."
17. **Collins:** A surname of English origin, meaning "son of Colin."
18. **Cook:** An occupational surname, meaning "one who prepares food."
19. **Cooper:** An occupational surname, meaning "barrel maker."
20. **Cox:** A surname of English origin, meaning "fox."
21. **Davis:** A surname of Welsh origin, meaning "son of David."
22. **Dean:** A surname of English origin, meaning "valley" or "religious leader."
23. **Edwards:** A surname of Welsh origin, meaning "son of Edward."
24. **Evans:** A surname of Welsh origin, meaning "son of Evan."
25. **Fisher:** An occupational surname, meaning "one who catches fish."
26. **Ford:** A surname of English origin, meaning "river crossing."
27. **Foster:** A surname of English origin, meaning "one who cares for children."
28. **Franklin:** A surname of English origin, meaning "free landowner."
29. **Freeman:** A surname of English origin, meaning "free man."
30. **Garcia:** A surname of Spanish origin, meaning "bear."
31. **Garrett:** A surname of English origin, meaning "spearman."
32. **Gibson:** A surname of English origin, meaning "son of Gilbert."
33. **Gill:** A surname of English origin, meaning "brook" or "stream."
34. **Gonzalez:** A surname of Spanish origin, meaning "son of Gonzalo."
35. **Gray:** A descriptive surname, meaning "one with gray hair."
36. **Green:** A descriptive surname, meaning "one who lives in a green area."
37. **Griffin:** A surname of English origin, meaning "strong" or "powerful."
38. **Hall:** A surname of English origin, meaning "dwelling."
39. **Hamilton:** A surname of Scottish origin, meaning "from the high hill."
40. **Harris:** A surname of English origin, meaning "son of Harry."
41. **Harrison:** A surname of English origin, meaning "son of Harry."
42. **Harvey:** A surname of English origin, meaning "brave warrior."
43. **Hawkins:** A surname of English origin, meaning "son of Hawk."
44. **Hayes:** A surname of English origin, meaning "enclosure."
45. **Henderson:** A surname of English origin, meaning "son of Henry."
46. **Henry:** A surname of German origin, meaning "ruler of the home."
47. **Hernandez:** A surname of Spanish origin, meaning "son of Hernando."
48. **Hill:** A surname of English origin, meaning "one who lives on a hill."
49. **Holland:** A surname of English origin, meaning "hollow land."
50. **Holmes:** A surname of English origin, meaning "holme" or "island."
51. **Howard:** A surname of English origin, meaning "brave warrior."
52. **Hughes:** A surname of Welsh origin, meaning "son of Hugh."
53. **Hunter:** An occupational surname, meaning "one who hunts."
54. **Jackson:** A surname of English origin, meaning "son of Jack."
55. **James:** A surname of Hebrew origin, meaning "supplanter."
56. **Jenkins:** A surname of Welsh origin, meaning "son of John."
57. **Johnson:** A surname of English origin, meaning "son of John."
58. **Jones:** A surname of Welsh origin, meaning "son of John."
59. **Jordan:** A surname of Hebrew origin, meaning "to descend."
60. **Kennedy:** A surname of Gaelic origin, meaning "fiery head."
61. **King:** An occupational surname, meaning "ruler."
62. **Knight:** An occupational surname, meaning "mounted warrior."
63. **Lawrence:** A surname of Latin origin, meaning "laurel" or "bay tree."
64. **Lee:** A surname of English origin, meaning "clearing" or "meadow."
65. **Lewis:** A surname of French origin, meaning "famous warrior."
66. **Lindsay:** A surname of Scottish origin, meaning "lime tree island."
67. **Lopez:** A surname of Spanish origin, meaning "wolf."
68. **Martin:** A surname of Latin origin, meaning "war god."
69. **Martinez:** A surname of Spanish origin, meaning "son of Martin."
70. **Mason:** An occupational surname, meaning "stone worker."
71. **Maxwell:** A surname of Scottish origin, meaning "great field."
72. **McCarthy:** A surname of Gaelic origin, meaning "son of Carthaigh."
73. **McCormick:** A surname of Gaelic origin, meaning "son of Cormac."
74. **McDonald:** A surname of Gaelic origin, meaning "son of Donald."
75. **McGee:** A surname of Gaelic origin, meaning "son of Gille."
76. **McKinney:** A surname of Gaelic origin, meaning "son of Cináed."
77. **Miller:** An occupational surname, meaning "one who grinds grain."
78. **Mitchell:** A surname of English origin, meaning "son of Michael."
79. **Moore:** A surname of English origin, meaning "moorland."
80. **Morgan:** A surname of Welsh origin, meaning "sea warrior."
81. **Morris:** A surname of Welsh origin, meaning "sea warrior."
82. **Murphy:** A surname of Gaelic origin, meaning "sea warrior."
83. **Nelson:** A surname of English origin, meaning "son of Neil."
84. **Newman:** A surname of English origin, meaning "new man."
85. **Nichols:** A surname of English origin, meaning "son of Nicholas."
86. **Nixon:** A surname of English origin, meaning "son of Nicholas."
87. **Norris:** A surname of English origin, meaning "northman."
88. **Oliver:** A surname of French origin, meaning "olive tree."
89. **Owen:** A surname of Welsh origin, meaning "noble" or "well-born."
90. **Parker:** An occupational surname, meaning "keeper of a park."
91. **Patterson:** A surname of English origin, meaning "son of Patrick."
92. **Payne:** A surname of English origin, meaning "pagan."
93. **Perez:** A surname of Spanish origin, meaning "son of Pedro."
94. **Phillips:** A surname of Greek origin, meaning "lover of horses."
95. **Pierce:** A surname of French origin, meaning "pierced."
96. **Powell:** A surname of Welsh origin, meaning "son of Howell."
97. **Price:** A surname of Welsh origin, meaning "priest."
98. **Reed:** A surname of English origin, meaning "reed."
99. **Reeves:** An occupational surname, meaning "bailiff" or "steward."
100. **Reynolds:** A surname of English origin, meaning "son of Reginald."
101. **Rice:** A surname of Welsh origin, meaning "ardor."
102. **Richardson:** A surname of English origin, meaning "son of Richard."
103. **Roberts:** A surname of Welsh origin, meaning "son of Robert."
104. **Robinson:** A surname of English origin, meaning "son of Robin."
105. **Rogers:** A surname of English origin, meaning "son of Roger."
106. **Rodriguez:** A surname of Spanish origin, meaning "son of Rodrigo."
107. **Rogers:** A surname of English origin, meaning "son of Roger."
108. **Ross:** A surname of Scottish origin, meaning "moorland."
109. **Russell:** A surname of French origin, meaning "red."
110. **Ryan:** A surname of Gaelic origin, meaning "little king."
111. **Sanchez:** A surname of Spanish origin, meaning "son of Sancho."
112. **Sanders:** A surname of English origin, meaning "son of Alexander."
113. **Sandoval:** A surname of Spanish origin, meaning "sandal maker."
114. **Savage:** A surname of English origin, meaning "wild."
115. **Schmitt:** A surname of German origin, meaning "blacksmith."
116. **Scott:** A surname of Scottish origin, meaning "from Scotland."
117. **Sears:** A surname of English origin, meaning "a person who lives by the sea."
118. **Shaw:** A surname of English origin, meaning "wood."
119. **Shepherd:** An occupational surname, meaning "one who tends sheep."
120. **Simmons:** A surname of English origin, meaning "son of Simon."
121. **Smith:** An occupational surname, meaning "one who works with metal."
122. **Snider:** A surname of German origin, meaning "tailor."
123. **Snow:** A descriptive surname, meaning "one who lives in a snowy area."
124. **Snyder:** A surname of German origin, meaning "tailor."
125. **Spencer:** A surname of English origin, meaning "steward."
126. **Stanley:** A surname of English origin, meaning "stone meadow."
127. **Stevens:** A surname of English origin, meaning "son of Stephen."
128. **Stewart:** A surname of Scottish origin, meaning "steward."
129. **Stokes:** A surname of English origin, meaning "one who lives near a river."
130. **Stone:** A descriptive surname, meaning "one who lives near a stone."
131. **Taylor:** An occupational surname, meaning "one who cuts cloth."
132. **Thomas:** A surname of Aramaic origin, meaning "twin."
133. **Thompson:** A surname of English origin, meaning "son of Thomas."
134. **Thornton:** A surname of English origin, meaning "thorny place."
135. **Turner:** An occupational surname, meaning "one who works with wood."
136. **Vance:** A surname of French origin, meaning "victorious."
137. **Vaughn:** A surname of Welsh origin, meaning "small."
138. **Vega:** A surname of Spanish origin, meaning "meadow."
139. **Velasquez:** A surname of Spanish origin, meaning "little veil."
140. **Villarreal:** A surname of Spanish origin, meaning "royal estate."
141. **Vincent:** A surname of Latin origin, meaning "conquering."
142. **Wade:** A surname of English origin, meaning "ford."
143. **Walker:** An occupational surname, meaning "one who walks."
144. **Wallace:** A surname of Scottish origin, meaning "Welshman."
145. **Walter:** A surname of German origin, meaning "ruler of the army."
146. **Ward:** A surname of English origin, meaning "guardian."
147. **Warren:** A surname of English origin, meaning "enclosure."
148. **Washington:** A surname of English origin, meaning "from the town of Washington."
149. **Watson:** A surname of English origin, meaning "son of Walter."
150. **Watts:** A surname of English origin, meaning "watchman."
151. **Weaver:** An occupational surname, meaning "one who weaves cloth."
152. **Webb:** A surname of English origin, meaning "weaver."
153. **Wells:** A surname of English origin, meaning "one who lives near a well."
154. **West:** A surname of English origin, meaning "one who lives in the west."
155. **Wheeler:** An occupational surname, meaning "one who makes wheels."
156. **White:** A descriptive surname, meaning "one with white hair or skin."
157. **Williams:** A surname of Welsh origin, meaning "son of William."
158. **Wilson:** A surname of English origin, meaning "son of William."
159. **Winn:** A surname of English origin, meaning "joy."
160. **Wise:** A descriptive surname, meaning "one who is wise."
161. **Wood:** A surname of English origin, meaning "one who lives in a wooded area."
162. **Wright:** An occupational surname, meaning "one who works with wood."
163. **Young:** A descriptive surname, meaning "one who is young."