Guyanese Online

Top 10 most common surnames in Guyana | Loop Caribbean News

Reposted here in Guyanese Online – September 24, 2021

Have you ever wondered what is the most common surname in Guyana? How about how many other people in the world share the same last name with you and in what countries?  

According to Forebears.io, a genealogy portal that is geographically indexed and cross-references a directory of sources for family research history, Guyana has 28,594 unique surnames.   

We have compiled a list of the top 10 most common surnames found in Guyana:

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10. Smith – Starting off the list at number 10 is the surname, Smith. According to Forebears, it is the 130th most common surname on a widespread global scale.

This last name is most frequent in 11 countries inclusive of the United States, England, Australia, Canada, Scotland, New Zealand, Bermuda, Tuvalu, The British Virgin Islands, Jersey and Guernsey.

Outside of the United States, it is also found in 229 countries.

9. Mohamed – This last name is found more commonly in Egypt than in any other country or territory.
According to Forebears, Mohamed is the 41st most frequently used surname on earth and is the 6th most frequently held first name in the world.

It is most common in six countries: Egypt where 28 per cent are found, Iraq where 14 per cent are found, Yemen where 9 per cent are found, Djibouti where 0.5 per cent are found, Comoros where 0.43 per cent are found and the Maldives where 0.23 per cent are found.

The surname Mohamed can also be found in 196 countries.

8. James – According to Forebears this surname which is common in Guyana occurs in Nigeria more than in any other country.

This surname occurs in 207 countries; however, it is most prevalent in Nigeria where it held by over 430,000 people.

The last name James is also found in the United States where 20 per cent live and Tanzania where 13 per cent live.

7. Henry- If you know someone with the last name Henry in Guyana well that’s because it’s the 1,015th most frequently held surname in the world.

According to Forebears, this surname is most prevalent in the United States but also exists in 202 countries.

It is common in France where 12 per cent are found and Nigeria where 9 per cent are found.

6. Joseph – So the surname Joseph, according to Forebears, is the 251st most commonly occurring family name in the world.

It is the most frequently used last name in three countries: Saint Lucia where 0.4 per cent reside, Dominica where 0.15 per cent reside, and Antigua and Barbuda where 0.15 per cent reside.

It is also popular in Haiti where it is carried by over 520,000 people.

The surname Joseph can be found in 205 other countries and also occurs in Tanzania where 23 per cent reside and Nigeria where 20 per cent reside.

5. Thomas- This surname which is mostly found in the Americas is the 239th most numerous last name globally.

According to Forebears, while it is most frequent in the United States, it can also be found in 221 other countries including India where 8 per cent reside and Tanzania where 7 per cent live.

4. Khan – Coming in at number four, the surname Khan is carried by more people in Pakistan than any other country.

According to Forebears, it is the 17th most widely held family name in the world.

This last name is most commonly held in two countries: Pakistan where 62 per cent reside and Saudi Arabia where 2 per cent are found.

The surname Khan also exists in  220 countries including India where 20 per cent are found and Bangladesh where 10 per cent are found.

3. Williams – This surname is indeed a very common name globally. According to Forebears, it is the 183rd most common family name worldwide.

It is most commonly held in these four countries: St Vincent and the Grenadines where 0.13 per cent reside, The Turks and Caicos Islands where 0.07 per cent reside, St Kitts and Nevis where 0.05 per cent reside and the United States Virgin Islands where 0.05 per cent live.

This surname is found in 219 countries.

2. Singh – The second most common surname in Guyana is also the 9th most widespread surname in the world.

According to Forebears, the surname Singh is predominantly found in India where it is held by over 34 million people.

The last name Singh is also found in 210 countries. It is however predominantly found in Asia where 98 per cent of Singh live.

1.  Persaud – So the last name Persaud is frequently found in Guyana than in any other country.

According to Forebears, it is the 12,045th most widely held surname in the world.

However, the surname Persaud is most prevalent in Guyana where 47 per cent live.

It is most frequent in Demerara-Mahaica where 41 per cent live, Essequibo Islands-West Demerara where 24 per cent live and East Berbice-Corentyne where 14 per cent live.

The surname Persaud also exists in 66 other countries including the United States where 32 per cent live and Canada where 13 per cent live.