Garcias Catching Up With Smiths

Hispanics rising in latest surame survey
By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff
Posted Nov 18, 2007 3:46 PM CST
Garcias Catching Up With Smiths
Jose Sifuentes, center, of Oklahoma City, waves a flag as he joins in with about 500 mostly Hispanic protesters who gathered at the state Capitol to criticize a new state law that's designed to fight illegal immigration, in Oklahoma City, Thursday, Nov. 1, 2007. The US' Hispanic population has skyrocketed...   (Associated Press)

Smith is still the most common US surname, but Garcia and Rodriguez are hot on its tail, the New York Times says. Those two Hispanic names cracked the Census Bureau’s latest top 10, likely marking the first time a non-Anglo name has been so prevalent. After seeing their ranks swell 58% in the 1990s, Latinos now represent 13% of the population.

Latinos have mostly eschewed adopting Anglo surnames, as immigrants of yore did. Asians are keeping their names too, with Lee coming in 22nd, although half the Lees were white.  And though 1 in every 25 person is named Smith, Johnson, Williams, Brown, Jones, Miller, or Davis, the list shows some staggering diversity: 4 million people have a totally unique surname. (More Hispanic stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X