Most Common Last Names: A Comprehensive Guide

Are you curious about the most prevalent last names in the world? Discovering the origins and meanings of these names can provide insights into history, culture, and genealogy. This comprehensive guide will delve into the fascinating world of surnames, exploring the top 40 most common last names globally and unraveling their rich and diverse meanings.
1. **Wang:** Chinese origin, meaning "king" or "royal." It is the most common last name in China and the world.
2. **Li:** Chinese origin, meaning "plum tree" or "beautiful." It is the second most common last name in China and the world.
3. **Zhang:** Chinese origin, meaning "net" or "to stretch." It is the third most common last name in China and the world.
4. **Liu:** Chinese origin, meaning "flow" or "current." It is the fourth most common last name in China and the world.
5. **Chen:** Chinese origin, meaning "morning" or "dawn." It is the fifth most common last name in China and the world.
6. **Yang:** Chinese origin, meaning "sun" or "bright." It is the sixth most common last name in China and the world.
7. **Huang:** Chinese origin, meaning "yellow" or "emperor." It is the seventh most common last name in China and the world.
8. **Zhao:** Chinese origin, meaning "to summon" or "to invite." It is the eighth most common last name in China and the world.
9. **Wu:** Chinese origin, meaning "martial" or "military." It is the ninth most common last name in China and the world.
10. **Zhou:** Chinese origin, meaning "week" or "period." It is the tenth most common last name in China and the world.
11. **Xu:** Chinese origin, meaning "promise" or "to pledge." It is the eleventh most common last name in China and the world.
12. **Sun:** Chinese origin, meaning "sun" or "bright." It is the twelfth most common last name in China and the world.
13. **Ma:** Chinese origin, meaning "horse" or "equine." It is the thirteenth most common last name in China and the world.
14. **Zheng:** Chinese origin, meaning "correct" or "to rectify." It is the fourteenth most common last name in China and the world.
15. **Wang:** Chinese origin, meaning "king" or "royal." It is the fifteenth most common last name in China and the world.
16. **Liu:** Chinese origin, meaning "flow" or "current." It is the sixteenth most common last name in China and the world.
17. **Li:** Chinese origin, meaning "plum tree" or "beautiful." It is the seventeenth most common last name in China and the world.
18. **Zhang:** Chinese origin, meaning "net" or "to stretch." It is the eighteenth most common last name in China and the world.
19. **Chen:** Chinese origin, meaning "morning" or "dawn." It is the nineteenth most common last name in China and the world.
20. **Yang:** Chinese origin, meaning "sun" or "bright." It is the twentieth most common last name in China and the world.
21. **Huang:** Chinese origin, meaning "yellow" or "emperor." It is the twenty-first most common last name in China and the world.
22. **Zhao:** Chinese origin, meaning "to summon" or "to invite." It is the twenty-second most common last name in China and the world.
23. **Wu:** Chinese origin, meaning "martial" or "military." It is the twenty-third most common last name in China and the world.
24. **Zhou:** Chinese origin, meaning "week" or "period." It is the twenty-fourth most common last name in China and the world.
25. **Xu:** Chinese origin, meaning "promise" or "to pledge." It is the twenty-fifth most common last name in China and the world.
26. **Sun:** Chinese origin, meaning "sun" or "bright." It is the twenty-sixth most common last name in China and the world.
27. **Ma:** Chinese origin, meaning "horse" or "equine." It is the twenty-seventh most common last name in China and the world.
28. **Zheng:** Chinese origin, meaning "correct" or "to rectify." It is the twenty-eighth most common last name in China and the world.
29. **Mohammad:** Arabic origin, meaning "praised" or "commendable." It is the twenty-ninth most common last name in the world.
30. **Khan:** Mongolian origin, meaning "ruler" or "chieftain." It is the thirtieth most common last name in the world.
31. **Singh:** Indian origin, meaning "lion" or "king." It is the thirty-first most common last name in the world.
32. **Garcia:** Spanish origin, meaning "son of Garcia." It is the thirty-second most common last name in the world.
33. **Rodriguez:** Spanish origin, meaning "son of Rodrigo." It is the thirty-third most common last name in the world.
34. **Gonzalez:** Spanish origin, meaning "son of Gonzalo." It is the thirty-fourth most common last name in the world.
35. **Davis:** English origin, meaning "son of David." It is the thirty-fifth most common last name in the world.
36. **Miller:** English origin, meaning "one who grinds grain." It is the thirty-sixth most common last name in the world.
37. **Wilson:** English origin, meaning "son of William." It is the thirty-seventh most common last name in the world.
38. **Moore:** English origin, meaning "one who lives by a moor." It is the thirty-eighth most common last name in the world.
39. **Taylor:** English origin, meaning "one who cuts cloth." It is the thirty-ninth most common last name in the world.
40. **Anderson:** English origin, meaning "son of Andrew." It is the fortieth most common last name in the world.