Common nicknames of the time would be Jolly John or Little John. Although the nickname back then may have preceded the name, they eventually came to follow the first name. This led to the last names Little and Jolly to name a couple. How American surnames are different Did you read the ...
What Is the Most Common Last Name in the U.S.? So, depending on the history and the ethnic makeup of a particular state or county, the popularity of certain surnames will vary wildly. And it also depends on which year you take a look at!