Most Common Last Names in Colorado

#1

Smith english

40,200

1 in 125

An English occupational name for a metalworker or blacksmith, from Old English 'smið.' It became Colorado's most common surname as craftsmen and tradesmen settled the Front Range during and after the 1859 Pikes Peak Gold Rush.

#2

Johnson english

31,200

1 in 161

An English patronymic meaning 'son of John,' from the medieval given name Johannes. It spread across Colorado's Eastern Plains farming communities during homestead expansion in the 1870s–1880s.

#3

Martinez spanish

30,200

1 in 167

A Spanish patronymic meaning 'son of Martín,' ultimately from the Latin Martinus. It ranks among Colorado's oldest European surnames, carried by Hispano families who settled the San Luis Valley from New Mexico in the 1840s–1850s.

#4

Garcia spanish

25,100

1 in 200

A Spanish patronymic of possibly Basque origin, often interpreted as 'young one' or 'bear.' It is concentrated in Pueblo and the southern Front Range, reflecting both early Hispano settlement and 20th-century migration from New Mexico.

#5

Williams welsh

21,600

1 in 233

A Welsh and English patronymic meaning 'son of William,' from the Germanic Willahelm. Welsh coal miners carried it to Huerfano and Las Animas counties in the 1880s–1900s, cementing it among southern Colorado's most common surnames.

#6

Brown english

19,600

1 in 257

An English descriptive surname referring to dark hair or complexion, from Old English 'brún.' It spread across Colorado's Eastern Plains as Anglo settlers homesteaded the South Platte and Arkansas River valleys in the 1870s.

#7

Jones welsh

18,600

1 in 270

A Welsh patronymic meaning 'son of Ioan' and the most common surname in Wales. Welsh miners carried it to Colorado's southern coalfields in Huerfano and Las Animas counties during the late 19th century.

#8

Davis welsh

17,600

1 in 286

A Welsh and English patronymic meaning 'son of David,' from the Hebrew Dawid. Early silver-era settlers brought it to Pitkin County and the Roaring Fork Valley during the 1880s mining boom.

#9

Miller english

16,100

1 in 312

An English and German occupational name for a mill operator, from Old English 'mylenweard.' German-speaking settlers carried it to the Arkansas River valley near Pueblo during agricultural expansion in the late 19th century.

#10

Hernandez spanish

14,600

1 in 345

A Spanish patronymic meaning 'son of Hernando,' a variant of Fernando. It is common across Colorado's southern counties and Denver's Westside neighborhood, reflecting both Hispano heritage and 20th-century Mexican migration.

#11

Wilson english

13,600

1 in 370

An English patronymic meaning 'son of Will,' a short form of William. It spread broadly across Colorado's Front Range, with early concentration in El Paso County as Colorado Springs developed in the 1870s–1880s.

#12

Anderson scandinavian

12,600

1 in 399

A Scandinavian and English patronymic meaning 'son of Andrew.' Swedish and Norwegian homesteaders carried it to northeastern Colorado's agricultural counties—particularly Morgan and Logan—during the 1880s–1900s.

#13

Taylor english

12,100

1 in 416

An English occupational name for a tailor, from Old French 'tailleur.' It became common in Colorado's early commercial centers as Denver grew from a mining supply town into a territorial capital in the 1860s.

#14

Lopez spanish

11,600

1 in 434

A Spanish patronymic meaning 'son of Lope,' from the Latin Lupus ('wolf'). It is concentrated in the San Luis Valley and Pueblo, carried by Hispano families who trace descent from New Mexican settlers of the 1840s–1850s.

#15

Thomas welsh

11,100

1 in 453

A Welsh and English patronymic from the Aramaic Ta'oma ('twin'), popularized through the apostle Thomas. Welsh coal miners brought it to Weld County and the northern Colorado coalfields during industrial recruitment drives in the 1890s.

#16

Moore english

10,600

1 in 475

An English habitational surname meaning 'one who lives by a moor,' from Old English 'mōr.' Irish immigrants drawn by Leadville's silver boom and Cripple Creek's gold rush in the 1880s–1890s carried it across the central Colorado mining belt.

#17

Martin english

10,100

1 in 498

An English and French patronymic from the Latin Martinus, linked to Saint Martin of Tours. Arkansas Valley homesteaders in the post-Civil War era included many Martin families among the first to settle Colorado's irrigated farmland.

#18

Jackson english

9,600

1 in 524

An English patronymic meaning 'son of Jack,' a medieval pet form of John. It remains common in Denver's historically African American Five Points neighborhood, which grew substantially from the early 1900s onward.

#19

Gonzalez spanish

9,600

1 in 524

A Spanish patronymic meaning 'son of Gonzalo,' from the Visigothic Gundisalvus. Pueblo and the southern Front Range hold the state's highest concentrations, reflecting Hispano and Mexican migration that intensified during the late 19th century.

#20

Thompson english

9,100

1 in 553

An English patronymic meaning 'son of Thomas.' It spread across Colorado's farming and ranching counties during homestead expansion in the 1870s–1880s, with notable presence in Weld and Larimer counties along the Front Range foothills.