I would like to return the most popular value of a particular field in a mysql database:

For example:

forname, surname, county
------------------------
Alan, Smith, Wiltshire
John, Smith, Hampshire
Eric, Jones, Dorset

I would like to enter the db name (db) and fieldname (surname) and would like the most popular surname returned (or at least a row(s) containing this surname)

I'm using MySQL 4.0.20

All help appreciated

Do you mean the one with the most in the table? In your example, Smith.

Yippie Ki Yea, Mr. Falcon.

Yeah - I want one of the following

1. "Smith"
2. A row where the surname is "Smith" so I can extract "Smith" in PHP
3. All of the row(s) containing "Smith" so I can extract "Smith" in PHP

Cheers

Anyone?

SELECT surname, count(*) cnt
FROM db
GROUP BY surname
ORDER BY cnt DESC
LIMIT 1

Did the tricks - thanks