Select a random item from a weighted list

Question

I am trying to write a program to select a random name from the US Census last name list. The list format is

Name           Weight Cumulative line
-----              


        

Answer 1

Just for fun, and in no way optimal

List Names = //Load your structure into this

List NameBank = new List();
foreach(Name name in Names)
   for(int i = 0; i <= (int)(name.Weight*1000); i++)
     NameBank.Add(name.Name)

then:

String output = NameBank[rand(NameBank.Count)];