DAILY DIRT: Your last name can tell quite a story

May 15, 2025 | By Steve Eighinger, Muddy River News Minister of Culture and Doctor of Love

There are more Smith's in the phone book than any other name. Of course, nobody uses phone books anymore. Kids, phone books are what we used to find someone's phone number before the Internet.

Daily Dirt for Thursday, May 15, 2025

But what about Eighinger? … Welcome to today’s three thoughts that make up Vol. 1,283 of The Daily Dirt.

Ever wonder what your last name says about your family’s story?

“Turns out, some of the most common surnames in the U.S. reveal more than just ancestry; they hint at migration patterns, occupations and cultural influence across generations,” writes Lena Thaywick on howstuffworks.com. “Thanks to data from the United States Census Bureau, we can trace how certain last names rose to the top, and what their origins tell us about American society today. From European colonists to immigrants from Latin America and Asia, every name carries a global heritage of personal characteristics, culture and geography.”

Let’s look at the most popular U.S. surnames, compliments of howstuffworks.com:

1. Smith

The most popular surname in America, “Smith,” is a classic example of a patronymic name tied to occupations. Derived from the Old English word “smitan” (to smite or strike), it originally referred to metalworkers — think blacksmiths, goldsmiths, or locksmiths. With roots in England, the name became widespread as English-speaking settlers moved to North America. Today, over 2.4 million Americans bear this name.

2. Johnson

“Johnson” is another powerhouse surname, particularly among both white and Black Americans. It’s a patronymic name meaning “son of John,” a name with Hebrew origins meaning “God is gracious.” It took off during the era of European colonization and later became common among enslaved people who adopted the surnames of their owners or chose common family names after emancipation.

3. Williams

Derived from the given name “William,” which comes from Germanic roots meaning “resolute protector,” Williams is a common last name among Black Americans. It holds the No. 3 spot in the U.S. and reflects the historical pattern of adopting surnames that were easy to spell, pronounce and remember after the Civil War.

4. Brown

A name as simple as its color, “Brown” likely began as a nickname for someone with brown hair, eyes, or clothing. It’s a common English surname with deep roots in both the U.S. and Canada. For Black Americans, the name became widespread post-emancipation, similar to Johnson and Williams. The simplicity of its form helped solidify its place as one of the most popular last names.

5. Jones

“Jones” is the Welsh version of “John’s son” and has been a top American surname for generations. It’s especially prevalent in states with strong Welsh immigrant histories and among Black Americans. The name offers a glimpse into how personal names evolved into family names through the concept of patronymic inheritance.

6. Eighinger

Yeah, I’m just kidding. I doubt if there are 100 people with my last name in the civilized world.

2. Did you know (Part 363)

That in the 1830s, a ketchup recipe was created to treat indigestion and diarrhea.
That Alaska grows the largest vegetables because of the length of the sunshine there, about 20 hours a day.
That for those of you have never done archery while blindfolded, you don’t know what you’re missing.
That among the songs turning 60 years old in 2025 are: “Help!” by the Beatles, “Stop! In the Name Of Love,” by the Supremes, “Sugar Pie Honey Bunch (You Know That I Love You),” by the Four Tops, “Satisfaction” by the Rolling Stones and “I Got You Babe” by Sonny and Cher.
That it’s weird being the same age as old people.

3. The best this week of “Found on Facebook”:

“I went to an antique auction yesterday. Three people bid on me.”
“Don’t let anyone else ruin your day. It’s your day. Ruin it yourself.”
“The doctor said I need to eat more greens, so I’m switching to mint chocolate chip ice cream.”
“I was just minding my own business, then all of a sudden 1975 was 50 years ago.”
“There was a Roman emperor who never aged after he turned 19.”

Steve Thought O’ The Day — Sometimes I wonder what happened to the people who asked me for directions.