Singh was the most commonly registered family name for babies born in New Zealand in 2024, Minister for Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden has revealed.
It was the seventh consecutive year Singh had topped the list.
Van Velden said 680 babies were given the name last year.
Kaur followed closely in second place, with 630 babies. Smith was third, with 300 newborns sharing the surname last year.
In 2014, Smith was the most common family name, which was followed closely by Wilson and Brown.
Van Velden said: “New Zealand is a diverse country – and it’s great to see that reflected in our family name data for 2024.”
“Family names are a real gift for all children, as they reflect the rich history of each family they originate from.
“In the North Island, Singh, Kaur and Patel were the most common registered family names. In the South Island Kaur, Singh and Smith took the top spots.”
Singh is traditionally used by Sikh men and has become a common family name among India’s global diaspora.
It has a long history, and originates from the Sanskrit word for lion.
Van Velden said it is important Kiwi babies born both in New Zealand and overseas are registered. For babies born overseas, they must be registered as citizens by descent to ensure they have “full access to citizenship rights”, she added.
Information about what services and assistance may be available to families can be found on the SmartStart website.
Isla was the most popular name for girls in 2024, while Noah topped the list for boys.
Top ten surnames:
- Singh, 680 babies
- Kaur, 630 babies
- Smith, 300 babies
- Patel, 276 babies
- Williams, 206 babies
- Sharma, 195 babies
- Brown, 184 babies
- Wilson, 174 babies
- Taylor, 147 babies
- Jones, 129 babies