In Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra's world, only some characters have last names, but there's a reason for that. For longtime fans looking back on the show and for people who are now discovering the franchise, thanks to both series being added to Netflix, it's surprising to learn that not everyone has a last name, simply because it's not a point that's brought up by any specific character nor is it an issue.
The world of Avatar is obviously different in many ways to the real world, given the fact that there are spirits and people who can bend the four elements, but there are still quite a few similarities. For instance, Legend of Korra explores industrialism and modernization of many tools, as well as the advancement of society and culture. This is evident by the introduction of cars and planes, not to mention Bolin's "movers" (Avatar's version of movies). All of this extends to the various societies depicted in both shows because many of them have been inspired by real-life cultures.
In the English-speaking world, most countries (and cultures) tend to have last names. Even countries that were once occupied by England, such as India, ended up integrating English customs which included surnames. But in most Asian cultures, last names weren't too common unless the families were rich, famous, or otherwise had something worth passing down. This approach seems to be what influenced Avatar: The Last Airbender; that's why only a handful of people have surnames in the franchise.
Viewers can see this in both shows, but it's perhaps most prevalent in Legend of Korra. In Avatar: The Last Airbender, for instance, the only main character with a last name is Toph; hers is Beifong, which ends up being passed on to her two daughters, Lin and Suyin Beifong. However, Aang, Katara, Sokka, and even Zuko don't have last names at all - which is interesting in the latter's case given that his family ruled over the Fire Nation.
In addition to Lin and Suyin, though, there were two other characters in Legend of Korra who had last names: Asami Sato and Iknik Blackstone Varrick. Asami came from a prominent industrial family - her father founded and ran the company Future Industries (until he was arrested that is, and Asami took over things) - and Varrick, despite being a criminal, was a world-renowned inventor. Their last names were known around the world, so it's understandable why they would have last names. Even in Toph's case, she came from nobility in the Earth Kingdom.
Taking these factors into account, the only person who should have a surname but doesn't is Aang. He was the Avatar and his descendants, particularly Tenzin, played significant roles in the world's affairs. But in Aang and Tenzin's case, it's possible they would forego a last name, even if it was their choice, since that was part of the nomadic culture, much like the Tibetans that inspired them.
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