diff --git a/applications/utilities/mesh/conversion/ensightToFoam/ensightMeshReader.C b/applications/utilities/mesh/conversion/ensightToFoam/ensightMeshReader.C
index 25c64bbaf0..c151e94964 100644
--- a/applications/utilities/mesh/conversion/ensightToFoam/ensightMeshReader.C
+++ b/applications/utilities/mesh/conversion/ensightToFoam/ensightMeshReader.C
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
     \\  /    A nd           | www.openfoam.com
      \\/     M anipulation  |
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-    Copyright (C) 2022 OpenCFD Ltd.
+    Copyright (C) 2022-2023 OpenCFD Ltd.
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 License
     This file is part of OpenFOAM.
@@ -79,11 +79,11 @@ void Foam::fileFormats::ensightMeshReader::readVerts
         is.read(verti);
         //if (nodeIdToPoints.size())
         //{
-        //    verts.append(nodeIdToPoints[verti]);
+        //    verts.push_back(nodeIdToPoints[verti]);
         //}
         //else
         {
-            verts.append(verti-1);
+            verts.push_back(verti-1);
         }
     }
 }
@@ -672,29 +672,16 @@ bool Foam::fileFormats::ensightMeshReader::readGeometry
             bool finished = false;
             do
             {
-                label partIndex;
-                is.read(partIndex);
-                partIDs.append(partIndex);
-
                 // Make space
-                partNames.setSize(partIDs.size());
-                partPoints.append(new pointField(0));
-                partNodeIDs.append(new labelList(0));
-                partPointIDs.append(new Map<label>());
+                partIDs.emplace_back();
+                is.read(partIDs.back());
 
-                partCells.append(new faceListList(0));
-                partCellIDs.append(new labelList(0));
-                partCellElemIDs.append(new Map<label>());
-
-                partFaces.append(new faceList(0));
-                partFaceIDs.append(new labelList(0));
-                partFaceElemIDs.append(new Map<label>());
-
-                is.read(partNames.last());
+                partNames.emplace_back();
+                is.read(partNames.back());
 
                 Pout<< indent
-                    << "Reading part " << partIndex
-                    << " name " << partNames.last()
+                    << "Reading part " << partIDs.back()
+                    << " name " << partNames.back()
                     << " starting at line " << is.lineNumber()
                     << " position " << is.stdStream().tellg() << endl;
 
@@ -705,27 +692,27 @@ bool Foam::fileFormats::ensightMeshReader::readGeometry
                     read_node_ids,
                     read_elem_ids,
 
-                    partPoints.last(),
-                    partNodeIDs.last(),
-                    partPointIDs.last(),
+                    partPoints.emplace_back(),
+                    partNodeIDs.emplace_back(),
+                    partPointIDs.emplace_back(),
 
                     // Cells (cell-to-faces)
-                    partCells.last(),
-                    partCellIDs.last(),
-                    partCellElemIDs.last(),
+                    partCells.emplace_back(),
+                    partCellIDs.emplace_back(),
+                    partCellElemIDs.emplace_back(),
 
                     // Faces
-                    partFaces.last(),
-                    partFaceIDs.last(),
-                    partFaceElemIDs.last()
+                    partFaces.emplace_back(),
+                    partFaceIDs.emplace_back(),
+                    partFaceElemIDs.emplace_back()
                 );
 
-                partPoints.last() *= scaleFactor;
+                partPoints.back() *= scaleFactor;
 
                 Pout<< indent
-                    << "For part " << partIndex
-                    << " read cells " << partCells.last().size()
-                    << " faces " << partFaces.last().size()
+                    << "For part " << partIDs.back()
+                    << " read cells " << partCells.back().size()
+                    << " faces " << partFaces.back().size()
                     << endl;
 
                 Pout<< decrIndent;
@@ -952,7 +939,7 @@ bool Foam::fileFormats::ensightMeshReader::readGeometry
     // - but instead pass in ordered faces (lowest numbered vertex first)
     HashTable<cellFaceIdentifier, face, face::symmHasher> vertsToCell
     (
-        2*cellOffsets.last()
+        2*cellOffsets.back()
     );
 
     // Insert cell's faces into hashtable
@@ -1064,24 +1051,24 @@ bool Foam::fileFormats::ensightMeshReader::readGeometry
     if (vertsToCell.size())
     {
         // Unused internal or boundary faces
-        boundaryIds_.append(List<cellFaceIdentifier>(0));
+        boundaryIds_.emplace_back(vertsToCell.size());
         {
-            auto& cellAndFaces = boundaryIds_.last();
-            cellAndFaces.setSize(vertsToCell.size());
+            auto& cellAndFaces = boundaryIds_.back();
             label i = 0;
-            for (const auto& e : vertsToCell)
+            forAllConstIters(vertsToCell, iter)
             {
-                cellAndFaces[i++] = e;
+                cellAndFaces[i++] = iter.val();
             }
         }
-        patchTypes_.append("empty");
-        patchNames_.append("defaultFaces");
-        patchPhysicalTypes_.append("empty");
-        patchStarts_.append(0);
-        patchSizes_.append(0);
+
+        patchTypes_.push_back("empty");
+        patchNames_.push_back("defaultFaces");
+        patchPhysicalTypes_.push_back("empty");
+        patchStarts_.push_back(0);
+        patchSizes_.push_back(0);
 
         Pout<< "Introducing default patch " << patchNames_.size()-1
-            << " name " << patchNames_.last() << endl;
+            << " name " << patchNames_.back() << endl;
     }
 
     return true;
diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/meshes/polyMesh/zones/ZoneMesh/ZoneMesh.C b/src/OpenFOAM/meshes/polyMesh/zones/ZoneMesh/ZoneMesh.C
index c21094d9e6..038a201295 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/meshes/polyMesh/zones/ZoneMesh/ZoneMesh.C
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/meshes/polyMesh/zones/ZoneMesh/ZoneMesh.C
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
      \\/     M anipulation  |
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Copyright (C) 2011-2016 OpenFOAM Foundation
-    Copyright (C) 2016-2022 OpenCFD Ltd.
+    Copyright (C) 2016-2023 OpenCFD Ltd.
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 License
     This file is part of OpenFOAM.
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ void Foam::ZoneMesh<ZoneType, MeshType>::calcGroupIDs() const
 
         for (const word& groupName : groups)
         {
-            groupLookup(groupName).append(zonei);
+            groupLookup(groupName).push_back(zonei);
         }
     }
 
@@ -537,11 +537,9 @@ Foam::label Foam::ZoneMesh<ZoneType, MeshType>::findZoneID
         // Used for -dry-run, for example
         if (disallowGenericZones != 0)
         {
-            auto& zm = const_cast<ZoneMesh<ZoneType, MeshType>&>(*this);
-            zoneId = zm.size();
-
             Info<< "Creating dummy zone " << zoneName << endl;
-            zm.append(new ZoneType(zoneName, zoneId, zm));
+            auto& zm = const_cast<ZoneMesh<ZoneType, MeshType>&>(*this);
+            zm.emplace_back(zoneName, zm.size(), zm);
         }
     }
 
@@ -575,10 +573,9 @@ const ZoneType* Foam::ZoneMesh<ZoneType, MeshType>::cfindZone
     // Used for -dry-run, for example
     if (disallowGenericZones != 0)
     {
-        auto& zm = const_cast<ZoneMesh<ZoneType, MeshType>&>(*this);
-
         Info<< "Creating dummy zone " << zoneName << endl;
-        zm.append(new ZoneType(zoneName, zm.size(), zm));
+        auto& zm = const_cast<ZoneMesh<ZoneType, MeshType>&>(*this);
+        zm.emplace_back(zoneName, zm.size(), zm);
     }
 
     return nullptr;
@@ -678,7 +675,7 @@ void Foam::ZoneMesh<ZoneType, MeshType>::setGroup
     // Add to specified zones
     for (const label zonei : zoneIDs)
     {
-        zones[zonei].inGroups().appendUniq(groupName);
+        zones[zonei].inGroups().push_uniq(groupName);
         doneZone[zonei] = true;
     }
 
@@ -921,7 +918,7 @@ ZoneType& Foam::ZoneMesh<ZoneType, MeshType>::operator()
     if (!ptr)
     {
         ptr = new ZoneType(zoneName, this->size(), *this);
-        this->append(ptr);
+        this->push_back(ptr);
     }
 
     if (verbose)
diff --git a/src/surfMesh/MeshedSurface/MeshedSurfaceZones.C b/src/surfMesh/MeshedSurface/MeshedSurfaceZones.C
index 116771bcb7..ce8fb9e94f 100644
--- a/src/surfMesh/MeshedSurface/MeshedSurfaceZones.C
+++ b/src/surfMesh/MeshedSurface/MeshedSurfaceZones.C
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ void Foam::MeshedSurface<Face>::checkZones(const bool verbose)
 
     if (!zones.empty())
     {
-        surfZone& zn = zones.last();
+        surfZone& zn = zones.back();
 
         if ((zn.start() + zn.size()) < maxCount)
         {
diff --git a/src/surfMesh/polySurface/polySurface.C b/src/surfMesh/polySurface/polySurface.C
index 1b12eb90a2..37609d0e6a 100644
--- a/src/surfMesh/polySurface/polySurface.C
+++ b/src/surfMesh/polySurface/polySurface.C
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ void Foam::polySurface::calculateZoneIds(const UList<surfZone>& zones)
         WarningInFunction
             << "More faces " << size() << " than zones " << off << endl;
 
-        SubList<label>(zoneIds_, size()-off, off) = zones.last().index();
+        SubList<label>(zoneIds_, size()-off, off) = zones.back().index();
     }
     else if (size() < off)
     {
@@ -431,7 +431,7 @@ void Foam::polySurface::transfer
 //             << " ... extending final zone"
 //             << endl;
 //
-//         surfZones_.last().size() += count - nFaces();
+//         surfZones_.back().size() += count - nFaces();
 //     }
 //     else if (size() < count)
 //     {
diff --git a/src/surfMesh/readers/ensight/ensightSurfaceReader.C b/src/surfMesh/readers/ensight/ensightSurfaceReader.C
index ab72a87efc..394eebdcaf 100644
--- a/src/surfMesh/readers/ensight/ensightSurfaceReader.C
+++ b/src/surfMesh/readers/ensight/ensightSurfaceReader.C
@@ -254,7 +254,7 @@ void Foam::ensightSurfaceReader::readCase(ISstream& is)
     //     model: data/directory/geometry
     //
     // - use the last entry
-    meshFileName_ = stringOps::splitSpace(buffer).last().str();
+    meshFileName_ = stringOps::splitSpace(buffer).back().str();
 
     DebugInfo << "mesh file:" << meshFileName_ << endl;
 
@@ -295,8 +295,8 @@ void Foam::ensightSurfaceReader::readCase(ISstream& is)
             Info<< nl;
         }
 
-        fieldNames.append(parsed[parsed.size()-2].str());
-        fieldFileNames.append(parsed.last().str());
+        fieldNames.push_back(parsed[parsed.size()-2].str());
+        fieldFileNames.push_back(parsed.back().str());
     }
     fieldNames_.transfer(fieldNames);
     fieldFileNames_.transfer(fieldFileNames);
@@ -471,7 +471,7 @@ Foam::meshedSurface Foam::ensightSurfaceReader::readGeometry
             {
                 is.read(faceCount);
 
-                faceTypeInfo.append
+                faceTypeInfo.push_back
                 (
                     faceInfoTuple(ensightFaces::elemType::TRIA3, faceCount)
                 );
@@ -501,7 +501,7 @@ Foam::meshedSurface Foam::ensightSurfaceReader::readGeometry
                         is.read(fp);
                     }
 
-                    dynFaces.append(std::move(f));
+                    dynFaces.push_back(std::move(f));
                 }
             }
             else if
@@ -512,7 +512,7 @@ Foam::meshedSurface Foam::ensightSurfaceReader::readGeometry
             {
                 is.read(faceCount);
 
-                faceTypeInfo.append
+                faceTypeInfo.push_back
                 (
                     faceInfoTuple(ensightFaces::elemType::QUAD4, faceCount)
                 );
@@ -542,7 +542,7 @@ Foam::meshedSurface Foam::ensightSurfaceReader::readGeometry
                         is.read(fp);
                     }
 
-                    dynFaces.append(std::move(f));
+                    dynFaces.push_back(std::move(f));
                 }
             }
             else if
@@ -553,7 +553,7 @@ Foam::meshedSurface Foam::ensightSurfaceReader::readGeometry
             {
                 is.read(faceCount);
 
-                faceTypeInfo.append
+                faceTypeInfo.push_back
                 (
                     faceInfoTuple(ensightFaces::elemType::NSIDED, faceCount)
                 );
@@ -588,7 +588,7 @@ Foam::meshedSurface Foam::ensightSurfaceReader::readGeometry
                         is.read(fp);
                     }
 
-                    dynFaces.append(std::move(f));
+                    dynFaces.push_back(std::move(f));
                 }
             }
             else
diff --git a/src/surfMesh/surfMesh/surfMesh.C b/src/surfMesh/surfMesh/surfMesh.C
index 6daed2fbc9..2253f688a8 100644
--- a/src/surfMesh/surfMesh/surfMesh.C
+++ b/src/surfMesh/surfMesh/surfMesh.C
@@ -497,7 +497,7 @@ void Foam::surfMesh::checkZones(const bool verbose)
 
     if (!zones.empty())
     {
-        surfZone& zn = zones.last();
+        surfZone& zn = zones.back();
 
         if ((zn.start() + zn.size()) < maxCount)
         {
diff --git a/src/surfMesh/triSurface/triSurface.C b/src/surfMesh/triSurface/triSurface.C
index 09c488b02e..d32e518997 100644
--- a/src/surfMesh/triSurface/triSurface.C
+++ b/src/surfMesh/triSurface/triSurface.C
@@ -343,12 +343,12 @@ Foam::triSurface::calcPatches(labelList& faceMap) const
     // Extend regions
     label maxRegion = patches_.size()-1;    // for non-compacted regions
 
-    if (faceMap.size())
+    if (!faceMap.empty())
     {
         maxRegion = max
         (
             maxRegion,
-            operator[](faceMap.last()).region()
+            operator[](faceMap.back()).region()
         );
     }