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Surname check
Check each word of a proposed mark against U.S. Census surname data. For every match, see how many people in the U.S. have that last name, how it ranks, and how often it occurs.
Where these names fall
Number of people in the U.S. with each last name, on a scale from 100 people to Smith, the most common.
Reading the results
A surname’s frequency is one consideration in deciding whether a mark is primarily merely a surname (TMEP § 1211.01). Others include:
- whether the word has another recognized meaning;
- whether anyone connected with the applicant has that surname;
- whether the word has the structure and pronunciation of a surname; and
- whether the mark is stylized distinctively enough to create a separate impression.
If the wording identifies a particular living individual, that person’s written consent is required (15 U.S.C. § 1052(c)).
About the data
Counts come from the U.S. Census Bureau’s list of surnames occurring 100 or more times in the 2000 Census: 151,671 last names. Rank 1 is the most common name. A word that is not on the list may still be someone’s surname if fewer than 100 people had it.
Name origins are generated by AI from general knowledge of surname history and labeled with how certain they are. They can be wrong, so verify an origin before relying on it. A root word with its own meaning can be relevant to whether the term has another recognized meaning, and to any foreign-language translation.
This is a research aid, not a legal determination. Census frequency alone does not decide surname significance. Using this tool does not create an attorney-client relationship.