Most Popular Last Name in the World: A Comprehensive Guide

Determining the "most popular" last name in the world is a complex endeavor, as population distribution and cultural factors play a significant role. While a definitive answer is elusive, this list explores some of the most common surnames globally, encompassing various origins and meanings. This information can be useful for genealogy research, understanding cultural trends, and simply satisfying your curiosity about the most prevalent last names on the planet.
1. **Wang:** Chinese origin, meaning "king" or "royal."
2. **Li:** Chinese origin, meaning "plum" or "beautiful."
3. **Zhang:** Chinese origin, meaning "net" or "trap."
4. **Liu:** Chinese origin, meaning "willow tree."
5. **Chen:** Chinese origin, meaning "morning" or "dawn."
6. **Yang:** Chinese origin, meaning "sun" or "bright."
7. **Huang:** Chinese origin, meaning "yellow" or "emperor."
8. **Zhao:** Chinese origin, meaning "to summon" or "to invite."
9. **Wu:** Chinese origin, meaning "martial" or "military."
10. **Zhou:** Chinese origin, meaning "week" or "cycle."
11. **Xu:** Chinese origin, meaning "promise" or "to hope."
12. **Sun:** Chinese origin, meaning "sun."
13. **Ma:** Chinese origin, meaning "horse."
14. **Zheng:** Chinese origin, meaning "correct" or "straight."
15. **Gao:** Chinese origin, meaning "tall" or "high."
16. **Jiang:** Chinese origin, meaning "river."
17. **Han:** Chinese origin, meaning "Han dynasty" or "Chinese."
18. **Lin:** Chinese origin, meaning "forest."
19. **Zhang:** Chinese origin, meaning "net" or "trap."
20. **Yu:** Chinese origin, meaning "jade" or "precious."
21. **Xie:** Chinese origin, meaning "to thank" or "to appreciate."
22. **He:** Chinese origin, meaning "river" or "harmony."
23. **Guo:** Chinese origin, meaning "country" or "nation."
24. **Cao:** Chinese origin, meaning "grass" or "herb."
25. **Luo:** Chinese origin, meaning "net" or "trap."
26. **Peng:** Chinese origin, meaning "to rise" or "to soar."
27. **Liu:** Chinese origin, meaning "willow tree."
28. **Li:** Chinese origin, meaning "plum" or "beautiful."
29. **Zhang:** Chinese origin, meaning "net" or "trap."
30. **Wang:** Chinese origin, meaning "king" or "royal."
31. **Smith:** English origin, meaning "blacksmith."
32. **Jones:** Welsh origin, meaning "son of John."
33. **Brown:** English origin, meaning "someone with brown hair or skin."
34. **Davis:** Welsh origin, meaning "son of David."
35. **Miller:** English origin, meaning "miller."
36. **Wilson:** English origin, meaning "son of Will."
37. **Moore:** English origin, meaning "moor" or "swamp."
38. **Taylor:** English origin, meaning "tailor."
39. **Anderson:** English origin, meaning "son of Andrew."
40. **Thomas:** Greek origin, meaning "twin."
41. **Jackson:** English origin, meaning "son of Jack."
42. **White:** English origin, meaning "someone with white hair or skin."
43. **Harris:** English origin, meaning "son of Harry."
44. **Martin:** Latin origin, meaning "warlike."
45. **Thompson:** English origin, meaning "son of Tom."
46. **Garcia:** Spanish origin, meaning "son of Garcias."
47. **Martinez:** Spanish origin, meaning "son of Martin."
48. **Rodriguez:** Spanish origin, meaning "son of Rodrigo."
49. **Hernandez:** Spanish origin, meaning "son of Hernando."
50. **Lopez:** Spanish origin, meaning "son of Lope."