The surname of the family at the center of The Wonder Years was Arnold. The series follows Kevin Arnold as he grows up in a suburban middle-class household during the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Kevin’s immediate family includes his father, Jack Arnold, his mother, Norma Arnold, his older brother, Wayne Arnold, and his older sister, Karen Arnold. Their everyday conflicts—arguments over rules, school, work, dating, and independence—form much of the show’s emotional core. The family’s experiences are presented through the reflective narration of an adult Kevin, voiced by Daniel Stern.
The Arnold family is often confused with the show’s neighboring Cooper family. Winnie Cooper is Kevin’s best friend and love interest, while Paul Pfeiffer is Kevin’s best friend. The surnames are important because the series continually contrasts Kevin’s home life with the lives of the people around him.
The show deliberately leaves the Arnolds’ exact town unspecified, although episodes contain hints such as California and New York license plates. Its setting is instead meant to represent a broadly recognizable American suburb. The story begins in 1968 and follows Kevin through 1973, covering his transition from childhood into young adulthood.