The 25 most common surnames in Michigan

There’s an old saying that says what’s in a name, but it’s probably more true of your last name or family name.

Most surnames can be traced back to centuries-old professions. For example, it is common knowledge that the surname Smith comes from former blacksmith families.

There are many names that are much more common than others, but whose popularity varies from state to state. You can live in one part of the country and never come across a particular surname, and move to another part and see it more often than ever.

As for me, my last name Harrison is pretty popular overall, ranking 120th among the most common last names in America. However, in Alabama, the state I’m from, it’s much more common (87th) than here in Michigan (117th).

When I did a little research on my last name on Forebears.com, I didn’t find out much about it that I didn’t already know. Harrison is of English origin and is a surname that means “son of Harry” – which in turn is the English equivalent of the French name Henry.

Since many names are interpretations or mispronunciations of names in other languages ​​that have evolved over time, my surname could have been completely different under the right circumstances. Harrisson, Haarrison, Harreison, Harrision and Charrison are phonetically similar spellings in English-speaking countries.

You may find new information about your last name on this website.

The website also ranks the popularity of each surname by country and state. Below are the 25 most common surnames in the state of Michigan.