Common Amish Last Names
Because so few outsiders join the Amish, their communities tend to use a relatively small set of family names. These common Amish last names often repeat across generations and regions, though spelling can vary and some surnames are more local than others.
When someone grows up in an Amish or Mennonite area, certain surnames immediately suggest that heritage. Names like Miller, Stoltzfus, Yoder, and Troyer frequently indicate an Amish or Mennonite background, and regional clusters make some names more prominent in particular counties or settlements.
Amish Last Names in Lancaster County, PA
I grew up in Lancaster County and my maiden name is Stoltzfus. Stoltzfus is one of the most common Amish surnames in Lancaster County. The name is of German origin and is sometimes spelled Stoltzfoos; family history traces many Stoltzfus lines in the United States back to an immigrant named Nicholas Stoltzfus who arrived in 1766. Records suggest there are several thousand people in the U.S. with that surname, many concentrated in Pennsylvania.
Other surnames you will commonly encounter in Lancaster County include King, Fisher, Esh, Lapp, Lantz, Blank, Zook, Schmucker, Kauffman, Beiler, Glick, Riehl, and Petersheim. These names reflect local family ties and long-standing community networks that shape Amish identity in the region.
Amish Surnames in Holmes County, Ohio and Other Areas
In Holmes County, Ohio, Miller is widely recognized as one of the most common Amish surnames. Other frequent names in that area include Troyer, Yoder, Schwartz, Hershberger, Schrock, Gingerich, Weaver, Schlabach, Bontrager, Raber, Coblentz, and Hochstetler. Spelling variations are common, so you may see slightly different forms of the same family name across records and communities.
Less common but still present in Ohio and surrounding states are surnames such as Mast, Kline, Graber, Garber, Burkholder, Peachy, Chupp, Wengerd, Lehman, Kuhns, Keim, Eicher, Swarey, Stoll, Helmuth, and Headings. Amish family names often reflect migration patterns and local settlement history, so different regions will emphasize different surnames.
What Are the Top Five Amish Last Names?
While regional differences matter, a practical list of five widely recognized Amish last names would include Miller, Stoltzfus, Beiler (or Byler), Yoder, and Troyer. These names appear frequently in many Amish communities and are often associated with long family histories in Amish country.
Popular Amish First Names
Traditional Amish first names often come from the Bible and from older German and English naming traditions. Over time some names are shortened or altered—for example, Stephen may become Steve, Joseph becomes Joe, and Malinda often becomes Linda. Naming choices vary by community, and newer generations sometimes use less traditional names.
Family naming customs are important in Amish culture. Many children are named after grandparents, aunts, uncles, or other relatives. This practice preserves family ties and honors ancestors, but it can also lead to multiple cousins sharing the same name within a community.
Female Amish Names
Amish women commonly receive traditional, often biblical names. Families frequently use a parent’s or grandparent’s name in the next generation, which is considered respectful and meaningful. To distinguish among several people with the same given name, residents might identify someone by her father’s name (for example, “Dan’s Anna”), by her husband’s name after marriage, or by adding a middle initial in everyday conversation.
Common female names include Mary, Anna (or Annie), Priscilla, Rachel, Sarah, Malinda, Miriam, Martha, Sadie, Susanna, Ruth, Hannah, Naomi, Lydia, Susie, Lena, Amanda, Alta, Barbara, Betty, Rebecca, Elizabeth, Esther, Lavina, Edna, Deborah, Lois, Clara, Joanna, Dorcas, Julia, and Fannie.
My full name is Anna Mary Stoltzfus, and in school my friend had the same name. Our teacher called her Anna Mary and I went by Anna to avoid confusion—an example of how communities manage repeated names in daily life.
Amish Male Names
Male Amish names also reflect biblical and traditional influences. Common names you will encounter include Benuel (or Benjamin), Aaron, Mark, Steven (or Stephen), Samuel, Abner, Eli, Vernon, Elmer, Amos, Leroy, John, Paul, Jacob, David, Daniel, Omar, Abram, Isaac, Jonas, Henry, Mervin, Emmanuel, Moses, Joseph (Joe), Lloyd, Christian, Elam, Gideon, Marlin, and Melvin.
Historically, many Amish men did not use full middle names; they often used a middle initial—sometimes the mother’s maiden name initial or the father’s first initial. Practical adjustments, such as changing an initial to avoid mail confusion, were common in tight-knit rural communities.
Traditional Names
The names listed here reflect patterns you will hear across Amish settlements. While some families have adopted more modern choices in recent years, traditional biblical and Germanic names remain widespread. If you meet someone with one of the surnames mentioned above, there is a reasonable chance they have Amish or Mennonite roots, though that is not guaranteed—some surnames are shared by people from other backgrounds.
If you know additional common or unusual Amish names, sharing them helps preserve and document the variety of naming traditions across communities.
My Story of Growing Up Amish
- Amish Story part 1, My Childhood
- My Story part 2
- My Story part 3 (My Testimony)
More About the Amish
- Who Are the Amish?
- Do Amish Farmers Use Tractors?
- Do the Amish Celebrate Easter?
- Why Don’t Amish Men Have Mustaches?
- Why Do Amish Women Wear Head Coverings?
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Amish books you might enjoy:
Amish for a Week: The True Story of an Author Staying with the Amish: A Journal with 90+ Photos
Behind Blue Curtains: A True Crime Memoir of an Amish Woman’s Survival, Escape, and Pursuit of Justice
Why Cows Need Names: And More Secrets of Amish Farms
The First Love