Why are there so many people with the last name Jones?

Question:

Why are there so many people with the last name Jones?

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: Jones is the most common last name in Wales. Like some other cultures the Welsh tend to have less last names as a percentage of the population than most, with certain of the names having an inordinate number of people sharing it (just like Korean and Kim, with about 20% of Koreans having that last name). The other main "monster" Welsh last names besides for Jones are Thomas, Davies, Evans, Williams, Rice and possibly Morgan (which can also be Scottish). This analysis does not hold true for such Welsh as have proper Welsh language surnames.

To further complicate the issue, many of German and Scandinavian heritage changed their names to Jones when they moved to the U.S. (from such surnames as Johannes, Johannsen/Johannson, Jantzen, Janson and Jonsson, as well as possibly the French Jensen).