Mode example: What are the most common last names in every country?

This is an engaging example of mode. Barbara Thompson, writing for NetCredit, shared a report on the most common last names in every country, beautifully summarized via poster. The color coding represents the origins of the last names. I stared at this map for a very long time when I first saw it. NetCredit also shared its data via Google Sheet.

How to use in class:

1) Mode example.

2) Ask your students how they think this data was calculated, then send them to the webpage to learn more about how the data was calculated.

3) Go to the full article for this data. They break the data up, continent by continent, to explain how the modal names came to be due to naming tradition/history in each country/region/continent. I'm a big nerd and think that sort of thing is fascinating.

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