ARLINGTON, Texas -- In 1790, when the United States held its first census, one surname stood above all others. Nearly 6,000 white families, and more than 33,000 people, were called Smith. Today, 230 years later, among young and old, Black and white, Smith remains the king of American names, with nearly 2.5 million.
Similarly, there is a good case to be made that William has emerged as the most seminal given name in America. Never has William been the most popular, at least not since the government has kept track starting with births in the 1880s. But its staying power is remarkable.