Top baby surnames of 2021

Singh has topped the list of themost common family names for Kiwi children born in 2021. Smith is in second place while Kaur – historically the feminine counterpart to Singh in Sikh communities – was the thirdmost common family name, the Department of Internal Affairs says. The family name rankings vary by region, with common surnamesWang and Li not appearing in the nationwide top 10, while coming in fifth and sixth, respectively, in the Auckland list. Similarly, Anderson and Thomas are sixth and eighth in the list of family names for babies born in the South Island, but did not reach the overall top 10. ‘‘Unlike themost popular first names for babies, which tend to retain popularity across the country, data for family names differs, painting a beautiful picture of the cultural history of each region of Aotearoa,’’ Registrar-General Jeff Montgomery said.