Most common surnames

[codprawn]

I just looked at a list of the top surnames in the USA - now I know loads of Yanks are of British decent but I was shocked to see the top 17 surnames are all British - loads of Welsh ones as well - truly our cousins!!!

Surname Approx Number % Frequency Rank
SMITH 2,501,922 1.006 1
JOHNSON 2,014,470 0.81 2
WILLIAMS 1,738,413 0.699 3
JONES 1,544,427 0.621 4
BROWN 1,544,427 0.621 5
DAVIS 1,193,760 0.48 6
MILLER 1,054,488 0.424 7
WILSON 843,093 0.339 8
MOORE 775,944 0.312 9
TAYLOR 773,457 0.311 10
ANDERSON 773,457 0.311 11
THOMAS 773,457 0.311 12
JACKSON 770,970 0.31 13
WHITE 693,873 0.279 14
HARRIS 683,925 0.275 15
MARTIN 678,951 0.273 16
THOMPSON 669,003 0.269 17

http://names.mongabay.com/most_common_surnames.htm

The full list.

[Limey Linda]

Very interesting. I am sure that folks living on the West side of the pond will appreciate your comments. HOWEVER, you need to understand that your repeated use of the term "Yank" is offensive. You have been advised of this many times, but you continue using this term. Using "Americans" really does not take much more effort and would be much more polite.
Thank you

[Andy Moore]

We are 9th. Interesting.

[jwalker]

Originally Posted by Limey Linda

....use of the term "Yank" is offensive.

But Limey is ok, Linda?

[Carl]

nice one jw

[Andy Moore]

Originally Posted by Limey Linda

HOWEVER, you need to understand that your repeated use of the term "Yank" is offensive. You have been advised of this many times, but you continue using this term. Using "Americans" really does not take much more effort and would be much more polite.
Thank you

I agree. I now use the term 'hand crank' instead.

[codprawn]

Originally Posted by jwalker

But Limey is ok, Linda?

What can I say???

[GED]

Originally Posted by Andy Moore

I agree. I now use the term 'hand crank' instead.

or 'septic tank'
got to be better than 'you welsh sheep sh*gger'

personaly you can call me anything but early

[603doug]

Here in my area of New England we seem not to be bothered by the term "Yanks". From what we read in the foreign press "Yank" is kind of endearing.
I worked with the "British"(is that PC now) Army in Germany in the mid 70s and that all I heard plus a few other not to be used on a family forum such as this.

[Biggles]

Originally Posted by Limey Linda

HOWEVER, you need to understand that your repeated use of the term "Yank" is offensive.

Isn't life just getting too complicated nowadays.

I remember when you would say.

"Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me"

Seems that some people can't even stand a bit of lite banter !

Call me stupid but being English I get flack from every corner and am expected to stand it. Personally it makes me feel good that other folks seem to be so jealous of us. (Not sure why though, given the state of the country at the moment).

Roll on next weekend and a Rugby World cup final. It was so delicious to beat the French.

Oh and when you want to get PC and throw a few insults around understand this.

I am English. My daughter is English. My son is Scottish. My wife is from Ulster. I suppose we are all British but it causes a few fights when the footer is on !

And you've got to feel really sorry for my son because although he's a Jock he's got a southern English accent. LOl.

[codprawn]

Originally Posted by 603doug

Here in my area of New England we seem not to be bothered by the term "Yanks". From what we read in the foreign press "Yank" is kind of endearing.
I worked with the "British"(is that PC now) Army in Germany in the mid 70s and that all I heard plus a few other not to be used on a family forum such as this.

Thanks - it's nice to see the only person offended by the term Yank is a Yorkshireman living in the desert!!!

I would love to visit New England - maybe when the stupid hysteria over terrorists dies down I will.

Talking of New England the reason I looked up Yank surnames in the 1st place was after watching the lobstermen fishing the George's Bank on the Discovery Channel. Most of them had good old British surnames so that's why I looked.

[jyasaki]

From Online Etymology:
Yankee
1683, a name applied disparagingly by Du. settlers in New Amsterdam (New York) to English colonists in neighboring Connecticut. It may be from Du. Janke, lit. "Little John," dim. of common personal name Jan; or it may be from Jan Kes familiar form of "John Cornelius," or perhaps an alt. of Jan Kees, dial. variant of Jan Kaas, lit. "John Cheese," the generic nickname the Flemings used for Dutchmen. It originally seems to have been applied insultingly to Dutch, especially freebooters, before they turned around and slapped it on the English. In Eng. a term of contempt (1750s) before its use as a general term for "native of New England" (1765); during the American Revolution it became a disparaging British word for all American native or inhabitants. Shortened form Yank in reference to "an American" first recorded 1778.

Wikipedia entry too long to include:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yankee

[codprawn]

I always took Yankee to mean the people who fought against the Confederates - ie the NE states in particular.Yank in Britain is usually meant in no more a derogatory way than Taffy for a Welsh man or Jock for a Scotsman.

[603doug]

First I made a mistake not the foreign press but the NY Times and Democrats being disparaging . As a kid the term "Yankee" meant some Old Timer who was tight with his money and pissed about everything. Now I am older, I wish I was a little tighter with money, got the pissed part down.

[Tomas]

Originally Posted by Limey Linda

HOWEVER, you need to understand that your repeated use of the term "Yank" is offensive.

I find the term "Yank" to be perfectly acceptable, it's when they call me a bugger eating moron that I get offended

[Andy Moore]

Originally Posted by Tomas

I find the term "Yank" to be perfectly acceptable, it's when they call me a bugger eating moron that I get offended

Do you mean 'burger'?

[Tomas]

Originally Posted by Andy Moore

Do you mean 'burger'?

Ah...burger/booger, it's all protein. It is more difficult I have found to place a slice of american cheese on a booger though.....

[fast fred]

"stupid hysteria over terrorists dies down I will."
is that all it is, dam, was thinkin they is tryin to kill us for bring them up from sand farmers to people with some thing. maybe houses built of Camel crap was best for them