Can You Tell Us the Last Names of These U.S. Presidents?

By: Gavin Thagard
Estimated Completion Time
4 min
Can You Tell Us the Last Names of These U.S. Presidents?
Image: Wiki Commons by Mathew Brady

About This Quiz

When you flip through a U.S. history book or listen to historians ramble through a lecture, how often does a president's name come up that you don't recognize? Maybe they were one of the Founding Fathers; maybe they were one of the many Civil War veterans who went on to hold office. Perhaps they were a one-term president who is barely mentioned by the revisionists today. 

Whether they were writing the first laws by candlelight or using complex computer detection systems to defend the country from foreign threats, every president who has served the United States played a role in getting the country to where it is today. That's why it is essential to remember who these world leaders were and what part they contributed to the annals of U.S. history during their respective eras. 

Here's your chance to do that. We've come up with a quiz to help you remember the last names of the 44 presidents who have served our country. Do you think your memory will serve you well, or will those progressive Republicans from the early 20th century get the best of you? 

Get started and dive back into U.S. history by giving us the last names of the presidents listed in this quiz.

Abraham Lincoln
Wiki Commons by Alexander Gardner
This president had to guide the country through a bloody Civil War. What's his last name?
Washington
Jackson
Johnson
Lincoln
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

When Abraham Lincoln was elected as the 16th President of the United States, he became the first president elected under the Republican Party. The party preached free soil politics, where new states would be added as free states for non-slave owning opportunists.

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John F. Kennedy
Wiki Commons by Library of Congress
Do you know the last name of this U.S. president who was assassinated in Texas?
Kennedy
Adams
Taylor
Grant
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

John F. Kennedy was assassinated before he got to finish his first term in office, but he dealt with some major events during his partial tenure. No event was more significant than the Cuban Missile Crisis, which might be the closest the world has come to nuclear destruction.

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Dwight D. Eisenhower
Wiki Commons by U.S. federal government
Can you tell us the last name of this commander-in-chief \ who warned the country about the military-industrial complex?
Fillmore
Eisenhower
Carter
Truman
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Before his presidency, Dwight D. Eisenhower was a national hero during WWII, serving as the Supreme Allied Commander in Europe. His role in the conflict helped bring down the German war machine led by Adolf Hitler.

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George W. Bush
Wiki Commons by United States Department of Defense
When the United States was attacked on Sept. 11, 2001, which president who is shown here spoke for the country?
Washington
Harrison
Bush
Obama
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Following the events of Sept. 11, George W. Bush led the United States into a war in the Middle East that was largely supported around the country. However, as the war spread across the region, support began to dwindle.

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Harry S. Truman
Wiki Commons by Edmonston Studio / Library of Congress
Are you familiar with this U.S. president who made the decision to drop two bombs on Japan?
Johnson
Truman
Cleveland
Wilson
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

After WWII ended, Harry S. Truman recognized the next problem: Communism. In an effort to contain its spread, Truman issued the Truman Doctrine, which offered help to any country trying to keep communism out.

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George Washington
Wiki Commons by Gilbert Stuart
How well do you know the first President of the United States?
Washington
Reagan
Adams
Jefferson
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Recognizing him as the most powerful man in the new nation, troops from the American Revolution asked George Washington to seize power for himself. Instead, worn out from fighting, Washington decided that democracy was the path forward.

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Bill Clinton
Wiki Commons by U.S. federal government
Who is this world leader who was elected twice in the '90s?
Carter
Harrison
Clinton
Harding
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Bill Clinton and his wife, Hillary Clinton, almost became the first husband and wife duo to both be elected president when she ran for election in 2016. However, Hillary was defeated despite winning the popular vote.

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Theodore Roosevelt
Wiki Commons by Harris and Ewing
Once a member of the Rough Riders, what's the last name of this president?
Taylor
McKinley
Harrison
Roosevelt
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Theodore Roosevelt was elected as the 26th President of the United States during the Progressive Era of the Republican Party. One of the party's main tasks was to disassociate politics from corporate corruption.

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Thomas Jefferson
Wiki Commons by Rembrandt Peale
Which Founding Father depicted in this image authored the Declaration of Independence?
Adams
Madison
Jefferson
Jackson
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

After the creation of the United States, Thomas Jefferson split with the other Founding Fathers over the issue of the French Revolution. Jefferson was sympathetic to the revolution and made it part of his politics in the newly formed Democratic-Republican Party.

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Ulysses S. Grant
Wiki Commons by Library of Congress
Is this Civil War general a president you remember from history class?
Grant
Johnson
Hayes
Wilson
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Ulysses S. Grant was a terrific general, but he was never really fit for a life in the White House. During his time as president, he found himself involved in scams that he seemingly didn't even realize were happening, tarnishing his legacy somewhat.

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Millard Fillmore
Wiki Commons by Library of Congress
Can you identify this U.S. president who was the final member of the Whig Party to take office?
Adams
Fillmore
Arthur
Obama
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The battle over slavery was running rampant when Millard Fillmore came into office after the death of his predecessor. Fillmore managed to tame the conflict slightly by passing the Compromise of 1850, which primarily ended the slave trade in Washington D.C. and tightened laws around fugitive slaves.

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James A. Garfield
Wiki Commons by Library of Congress
Were you paying attention when your teacher taught you about this world leader?
Buchanan
Johnson
Cleveland
Garfield
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

James A. Garfield was assassinated by Charles Guiteau while in office less than a year into his presidency. Guiteau believed that by not rewarding him with a consulship, Garfield had not recognized his efforts in helping the president get elected.

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Grover Cleveland
Wiki Commons by Frederick Gutekunst
This is the only president to be elected to two non-consecutive terms. Who is he?
Cleveland
Nixon
Buren
Jackson
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Democrats had a tough time getting elected in late 19th century and early 20th century, but Grover Cleveland was one president who broke that mold. Leading the Bourbon Democrats, Cleveland ran on policies supporting businesses and farmers.

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Andrew Jackson
Wiki Commons by Edward Anthony
Do you recognize this commander-in-chief known for his reliance on the common man?
Tyler
Hayes
McKinley
Jackson
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

While the wealthy merchants hated him, Andrew Jackson was able to gain support by relying on populism across the country. Promoting himself as one of the masses, Jackson rallied together Americans who did not own property.

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Franklin D. Roosevelt
Wiki Commons by Library of Congress
Do you know which president shown here served more terms than anyone else?
Wilson
Roosevelt
Taft
Hoover
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The United States was suffering significantly from the Great Depression when Franklin D. Roosevelt came into office in 1933. His New Deal program helped put Americans back to work and stimulated the economy until WWII broke out.

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Richard Nixon
Wiki Commons by National Archives at College Park
Are you able to provide the last name of this U.S. leader who was forced to resign from office?
Ford
Carter
Nixon
Coolidge
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Despite its controversial ending, Richard Nixon's presidency wasn't completely void of success. The president was in office for the Apollo 11 moon landing, and he opened up relations with China when he visited the country in 1972.

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James Monroe
Wiki Commons by Gilbert Stuart
Does this Founding Father who opposed European colonialism have a familiar face?
Harrison
Buren
Adams
Monroe
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

European colonialism in the Americas was still extremely prominent even after the American Revolution. In response to this, James Monroe issued the Monroe Doctrine, which recognized existing European colonies but opposed the creation of new ones.

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Herbert Hoover
Wiki Commons by Library of Congress
Few presidents faced as big of an economic downturn as which one depicted here?
Harding
Hoover
Taft
Harrison
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Herbert Hoover ran on humanitarian ideals when he won the presidency in 1929. However, the Great Depression would prove to be too big of an obstacle for him to overcome, which wasn't helped by the fact that he lowered taxes in the face of the crisis.

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Woodrow Wilson
Wiki Commons by Library of Congress
How familiar are you with this world leader who held office during WWI?
Wilson
Ford
Pierce
Johnson
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Woodrow Wilson was one of the driving forces behind the League of Nations, which was founded after WWI to maintain peace between countries. However, Congress never got behind the idea, and the United States didn't join the league.

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Chester A. Arthur
Wiki Commons by Charles Milton Bell
This U.S. president took office after the death of his predecessor. Do you know who he is?
Van Buren
Taft
Arthur
Pierce
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

After finishing the term in office of his predecessor, Chester A. Arthur initially sought reelection in 1884. However, he wasn't well supported by his party, and his health was deteriorating, so he gave little effort to his campaign and was defeated by James Blaine.

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Ronald Reagan
Wiki Commons by White House Photographic Office
What's the last name of this Republican president who served in the '80s?
Bush
Ford
Reagan
Trump
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Long before he ran for president, Ronald Reagan had a successful career as an actor in Hollywood. Reagan played in a variety of movies from "Bedtime for Bonzo" to "Hellcats of the Navy."

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Rutherford B. Hayes
Wiki Commons by Mathew Brady
Who is this one-term president?
Harrison
Hayes
McKinley
Taft
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Rutherford B. Hayes won the election of 1876 in a close contest against Samuel Tilden that was only decided after the Compromise of 1877. The compromise gave Hayes the presidency, but it also required that he withdraw federal troops from the South, ending Reconstruction.

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Franklin Pierce
Wiki Commons by Mathew Brady
Can you give the last name of this commander-in-chief who signed the Kansas-Nebraska Act?
Pierce
Buchanan
Tyler
Harrison
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The abolitionist movement was in full swing when Franklin Pierce took office in 1853. Believing that the movement would only further escalate tensions with the South, Pierce helped pass pro-slavery legislation that would have implications for years to come.

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John Adams
Wiki Commons by John Trumbull
A Founding Father who was an avid diarist, which president is this?
Madison
Ford
Tyler
Adams
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

John Adams' wife, Abigail Adams, is as well known as her husband because of her role in his presidency. She served as one of his closest advisors, and an exchange of letters between the two shows just how much information they shared.

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Lyndon B. Johnson
Wiki Commons by Arnold Newman, White House Press Office
Is this world leader who oversaw the Vietnam War a president with which you're familiar?
Ford
Johnson
Carter
Taylor
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Lyndon B. Johnson never really wanted to fight the war in Vietnam, but the support for the war remained high throughout most of his presidency. Johnson, instead, preferred to focus on domestic affairs through his "Great Society" legislation.

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James K. Polk
Wiki Commons
Did you read enough pages in your U.S. history book to identify this president?
Polk
Taylor
Taft
Harrison
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Taught under the tutelage of Andrew Jackson, James K. Polk was a huge proponent of Jacksonian democracy. This political viewpoint stressed the importance of expanding suffrage to keep power out of the hands of the elite.

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Zackary Taylor
Wiki Commons
Are you familiar with this Mexican-American War hero who became the 12th president of the United States?
Harrison
Harding
Buchanan
Taylor
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In preparation for war, Zachary Taylor was sent to Texas while serving as a general in the United States Army. His major victory at Palo Alto made him a national hero and was one of the major reasons he won the presidency.

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William McKinley
Wiki Commons
You might recognize which commander-in-chief shown here for being the last president to serve in the Civil War?
Carter
Adams
McKinley
Bush
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

William McKinley presided over the United States during the Spanish-American War in 1898. Ending with the Treaty of Paris, the war was a fairly quick ordeal and gave the United States power over areas like Puerto Rico, Guam and the Philippine Islands.

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Gerald Ford
Wiki Commons by David Hume Kennerly
How well do you know this vice president who won the presidency amidst controversy from his predecessor?
Harding
Coolidge
Bush
Ford
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Gerald Ford held a unique position within the American political system because he was never elected president or vice president. Instead, he served as a replacement in both offices after separate scandals removed his predecessors. In 1973, Vice President Spiro Agnew resigned, giving Ford the vice presidency. The following year, Ford became president when Richard Nixon resigned.

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Benjamin Harrison
Wiki Commons by Library of Congress
This lawyer turned politician was the grandson of another president. Who is he?
Harrison
Tyler
Bush
Buren
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Benjamin Harrison was one of the first presidents to move the United States away from its reliance on isolationism. One such policy was standing against Britain and Canada when it came to the overexploitation of seals in the Bering Sea.

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John Tyler
Wiki Commons by George Peter Alexander Healy
Which U.S. president do you see in this image?
Buchanan
Tyler
Taft
Harding
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

John Tyler's political career began at an early age when he was elected to the Virginia state legislature at the age of 21. He later served in both houses of Congress and as the governor of Virginia, giving him a full ranging political career.

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Barack Obama
Wiki Commons by Pete Souza
Do you know the last name of this Democrat who was the first African-American president in U.S. history?
Carter
Bush
Obama
Johnson
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The presidential election of 2008 pitted two firsts against one another. Not only was Barack Obama the first African-American candidate to make it past the primary, but he ran against John McCain, whose running mate was Sara Palin, who would have been the first female vice president in office had they won.

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Andrew Johnson
Wiki Commons by Mathew Brady
What's the last name of this commander-in-chief who led the South through Reconstruction?
Madison
Adams
Buren
Johnson
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

After taking over the presidency, Andrew Johnson lost favor with the Republican-led Congress because his policies after the Civil War seemed too easy on the South. This eventually led to his impeachment, though he wasn't removed from office.

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James Madison
Wiki Commons by Library of Congress
Can you identify this Founding Father who is known as "The Father of the Constitution"?
Bush
Madison
Carter
Harding
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

While serving as secretary of state, James Madison was able to secure a deal with France known as the Louisiana Purchase. The deal doubled U.S. territory and was obtained at a low price since France was in the middle of a European war.

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John Quincy Adams
Wiki Commons by Library of Congress
You might know the last name of the president shown here if you studied the controversial election of 1824.
Adams
Trump
Harding
Buren
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The son of John Adams, John Quincy Adams served many roles before finally taking over as president of the United States. One of his earliest positions in the government was serving as minister to Prussia under his father.

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James Buchanan
Wiki Commons by Mathew Brady
He was the 15th president of the United States. Who was he?
Harding
Bush
Buchanan
Carter
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A member of the Democratic Party, James Buchanan favored politics that benefited slave states in the South. He was president when the Supreme Court ruled on Dred Scott v. Sandford, which decided that the U.S. Constitution did not give citizenship to people of African descent.

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Jimmy Carter
Wiki Commons by Department of Defense
Are you able to identify this president who first served as the governor of Georgia?
Trump
Carter
Bush
Coolidge
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Jimmy Carter's political career may have ended after only one term as President of the United States, but he remained active in finding solutions to problems both domestic and abroad. For his work, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002.

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Calvin Coolidge
Wiki Commons by Notman Studio, Boston
Do you recognize this president who had to overcome the scandals of his predecessor?
Bush
Trump
Coolidge
Harding
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Running under the Republican Party, Calvin Coolidge promoted small government politics. He believed in leaving the economy alone, or laissez-faire economics, which might have contributed to the economic boom of the '20s.

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Martin Van Buren
Wiki Commons by Mathew Brady
Who is this president who was the first commander-in-chief born after the American Revolution?
Van Buren
Harding
Harrison
Taft
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Martin Van Buren came to office partially through the endorsement of Andrew Jackson, with whom he started the Democratic Party. However, his presidency was marred by an economic downturn in 1837, and he lost reelection to a member of the Whig Party.

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William Howard Taft
Wiki Commons by George Grantham Bain; copyright: Moffett Studio
How familiar are you with this Republican candidate who won the election of 1908?
Harding
Harrison
Bush
Taft
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

After leaving the presidency, William Howard Taft finally achieved his career goal of being appointed a Chief Justice of the United States. He held the position from 1921 until his death in 1930.

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You Got:
/40
Wiki Commons by Mathew Brady