diff --git a/photo_tagger.py b/photo_tagger.py
index 7e116cc..ab752b4 100644
--- a/photo_tagger.py
+++ b/photo_tagger.py
@@ -3338,6 +3338,18 @@ class PhotoTagger:
         people_frame = ttk.LabelFrame(main_frame, text="People", padding="10")
         people_frame.grid(row=1, column=0, sticky=(tk.W, tk.E, tk.N, tk.S), padx=(0, 8))
         people_frame.columnconfigure(0, weight=1)
+
+        # Search controls (Last Name)
+        last_name_search_var = tk.StringVar()
+        search_row = ttk.Frame(people_frame)
+        search_row.grid(row=0, column=0, columnspan=2, sticky=(tk.W, tk.E), pady=(0, 6))
+        search_entry = ttk.Entry(search_row, textvariable=last_name_search_var, width=20)
+        search_entry.pack(side=tk.LEFT)
+        search_btn = ttk.Button(search_row, text="Search", width=8)
+        search_btn.pack(side=tk.LEFT, padx=(6, 0))
+        clear_btn = ttk.Button(search_row, text="Clear", width=6)
+        clear_btn.pack(side=tk.LEFT, padx=(6, 0))
+
         people_canvas = tk.Canvas(people_frame, bg='white')
         people_scrollbar = ttk.Scrollbar(people_frame, orient="vertical", command=people_canvas.yview)
         people_list_inner = ttk.Frame(people_canvas)
@@ -3349,9 +3361,9 @@ class PhotoTagger:
             lambda e: people_canvas.configure(scrollregion=people_canvas.bbox("all"))
         )
         
-        people_canvas.grid(row=0, column=0, sticky=(tk.W, tk.E, tk.N, tk.S))
-        people_scrollbar.grid(row=0, column=1, sticky=(tk.N, tk.S))
-        people_frame.rowconfigure(0, weight=1)
+        people_canvas.grid(row=1, column=0, sticky=(tk.W, tk.E, tk.N, tk.S))
+        people_scrollbar.grid(row=1, column=1, sticky=(tk.N, tk.S))
+        people_frame.rowconfigure(1, weight=1)
         
         # Right panel: Faces for selected person
         faces_frame = ttk.LabelFrame(main_frame, text="Faces", padding="10")
@@ -3399,6 +3411,7 @@ class PhotoTagger:
         
         # Load people from DB with counts
         people_data = []  # list of dicts: {id, name, count, first_name, last_name}
+        people_filtered = None  # filtered subset based on last name search
         
         def load_people():
             nonlocal people_data
@@ -3445,6 +3458,34 @@ class PhotoTagger:
                         'date_of_birth': date_of_birth or "",
                         'count': count
                     })
+            # Re-apply filter (if any) after loading
+            try:
+                apply_last_name_filter()
+            except Exception:
+                pass
+
+        # Wire up search controls now that helper functions exist
+        try:
+            search_btn.config(command=lambda: apply_last_name_filter())
+            clear_btn.config(command=lambda: clear_last_name_filter())
+            search_entry.bind('<Return>', lambda e: apply_last_name_filter())
+        except Exception:
+            pass
+
+        def apply_last_name_filter():
+            nonlocal people_filtered
+            query = last_name_search_var.get().strip().lower()
+            if query:
+                people_filtered = [p for p in people_data if p.get('last_name', '').lower().find(query) != -1]
+            else:
+                people_filtered = None
+            populate_people_list()
+
+        def clear_last_name_filter():
+            nonlocal people_filtered
+            last_name_search_var.set("")
+            people_filtered = None
+            populate_people_list()
         
         def clear_faces_panel():
             for w in faces_inner.winfo_children():
@@ -3618,7 +3659,12 @@ class PhotoTagger:
         def populate_people_list():
             for w in people_list_inner.winfo_children():
                 w.destroy()
-            for idx, person in enumerate(people_data):
+            source = people_filtered if people_filtered is not None else people_data
+            if not source:
+                empty_label = ttk.Label(people_list_inner, text="No people match filter", foreground="gray")
+                empty_label.grid(row=0, column=0, sticky=tk.W, pady=4)
+                return
+            for idx, person in enumerate(source):
                 row = ttk.Frame(people_list_inner)
                 row.grid(row=idx, column=0, sticky=(tk.W, tk.E), pady=4)
                 # Freeze per-row values to avoid late-binding issues