Most Common Last Names in California

#1

Garcia spanish

186,300

1 in 200

A medieval Basque given name of uncertain, possibly pre-Roman origin, later adopted as a patronymic across the Iberian Peninsula. Garcia is deeply embedded in Southern California through centuries of Mexican settlement, with Los Angeles County holding one of the largest concentrations in the United States.

#2

Hernandez spanish

167,600

1 in 222

Spanish patronymic from Fernando, itself from Germanic elements meaning 'bold journey.' In California, Hernandez families are concentrated in the Inland Empire and San Joaquin Valley, tied to 20th-century agricultural labor migration from Mexico.

#3

Smith english

149,000

1 in 250

English occupational surname for an ironsmith or metalworker, one of the oldest trade surnames in the language. Anglo-American settlers named Smith arrived in California during the 1848 Gold Rush, establishing the name across the Sacramento Valley.

#4

Martinez spanish

130,400

1 in 286

Spanish patronymic from Martín, derived from the Latin Martinus meaning 'of Mars.' Agricultural communities in the Salinas Valley and Coachella Valley drew large Martinez populations through mid-20th-century farmworker migration.

#5

Lopez spanish

111,800

1 in 333

Spanish patronymic from the given name Lope, itself from Latin lupus meaning 'wolf.' Central Valley cities like Fresno and Stockton developed dense Lopez communities through 1940s–1970s labor migration from Mexico.

#6

Johnson english

104,300

1 in 357

English and Scandinavian patronymic meaning 'son of John,' the most common baptismal name in medieval England. Anglo-American Johnson families settled Northern California's logging communities and farming valleys from the 1860s onward.

#7

Rodriguez spanish

100,600

1 in 370

Spanish patronymic from Rodrigo, a Germanic name meaning 'famous ruler.' East Los Angeles and San Bernardino County developed high concentrations of Rodriguez families through 20th-century Mexican migration.

#8

Gonzalez spanish

96,900

1 in 385

Spanish patronymic from Gonzalo, from a Germanic root meaning 'battle.' Gonzalez became one of California's fastest-growing surnames in the late 20th century, expanding across Los Angeles and the Central Valley.

#9

Williams welsh

89,400

1 in 417

Welsh and English patronymic meaning 'son of William,' from the Germanic name Wilhelm. Oklahoma and Texas families named Williams brought this surname to California's San Joaquin Valley during the 1930s Dust Bowl migration.

#10

Brown english

82,000

1 in 454

English descriptive surname for someone with brown hair or a dark complexion, from Old English brun. Brown families came to California during the Gold Rush and again through the 1930s Dust Bowl migration from the South and Midwest.

#11

Lee english

78,200

1 in 477

English habitational surname from a woodland clearing, and also a common romanization of Chinese 李 (Lǐ) and Korean 이 (Yi). California's Lee population spans Anglo-American settlers, San Francisco's Cantonese community, and the Korean-American population of Los Angeles.

#12

Wilson scottish

67,100

1 in 555

Scottish and English patronymic meaning 'son of Will,' a short form of William. Wilson families arrived in California during the railroad construction era of the 1860s–1880s, settling in agricultural valleys and coastal towns.

#13

Davis welsh

63,300

1 in 589

Welsh patronymic meaning 'son of David,' from the Hebrew name Dawid. The surname carries particular California resonance through Jerome C. Davis, a Sacramento Valley landowner whose name is preserved in the city of Davis.

#14

Anderson english

59,600

1 in 625

Scandinavian and English patronymic meaning 'son of Andrew.' Norwegian and Swedish fishermen and loggers named Anderson settled Northern California's coastal communities including Eureka and Fort Bragg from the 1870s onward.

#15

Taylor english

55,900

1 in 667

English occupational surname for a tailor, from Old French tailleur. Taylor arrived in California during the Gold Rush era and spread widely through 20th-century migration, with consistent presence across the Central Valley's farming towns.

#16

Nguyen vietnamese

52,200

1 in 714

Vietnamese clan name and the most common surname in Vietnam, possibly derived from the ancient Ruan state of China. California holds the largest Vietnamese-American population in the nation, concentrated in Orange County's Little Saigon district after post-1975 refugee resettlement.

#17

Thomas welsh

48,400

1 in 770

Welsh and English patronymic from the Aramaic name meaning 'twin.' Anglo-American Thomas families arrived during the Gold Rush and established ranching and farming operations across the San Joaquin Valley.

#18

Moore english

46,600

1 in 799

English habitational or descriptive surname from Old English mōr meaning 'moor' or 'open land.' Moore families participated in successive Anglo-American migrations, from the Gold Rush through the post-WWII Southern California population boom.

#19

Jackson english

44,700

1 in 833

English patronymic meaning 'son of Jack,' a medieval diminutive of John. African-American families named Jackson migrated to Oakland and Los Angeles during WWII to work in Bay Area shipyards and Southern California defense plants.

#20

White english

43,000

1 in 867

English descriptive surname for someone with fair hair or complexion, from Old English hwīt. White families came to California during the Gold Rush and later through the Dust Bowl migration, establishing roots across the Sacramento and San Joaquin valleys.