Back in medieval times, people began to use last names to distinguish persons who had the same first name from each other. As the custom of using last names became more and more common, another thing it began to be used for was to denote which family the person in question belonged to. Hence the word “family name,” by the way.

Even though it is absolutely possible that two people sharing the same last name are completely unrelated, it is not unusual for us to think, upon hearing about a John Whitewood and a Michael Whitewood, that they come from the same family, especially if we already know that they are somehow connected, for example, through work or place of residence.

This is even more true for the world of show business. The entertainment industry, though undeniably big, is still rather tight, and that’s why people often assume that even celebrities with pretty common last names are relatives. And yet, it is not always the case. There are a lot of celebrities who despite sharing a last name are not related in any way. There are even celebrities who changed their names because there was already someone with the same name, and they wanted to avoid the confusion.

So if you’ve ever wondered if famous people with the same surnames have a family connection, we have collected a list of celebrities who share a last name yet aren’t related. Share this article with your friends to clear up any confusion they might have as well. If you want to add more celebrities who share the same surname, our comment section is open for you.