Explore the Family Name Aho
The meaning of Aho
1. Finnish: habitational name from farms so named, or ornamental name from aho ‘glade, forest clearing’ (areas of woodland adjacent to farmhouses were cleared by slash-and-burn techniques to produce glades, which eventually became pastureland). As a hereditary surname it was established in the 19th century chiefly in Ostrobothnia. As a popular ornamental surname it was adopted especially among people converting from Swedish surnames to Finnish in the early 20th century in southern, western, and central Finland (compare Laine 4). In North America, Aho may also be a shortened form of the cognate Ahonen. 2. Assyrian/Chaldean: from a short form of the personal name Ahikar, name of ancient Assyrian origin, borne by a semi-legendary sage. Some characteristic forenames: Finnish Reino, Eino, Toivo, Wilho, Armas, Aarne, Aarre, Aatos, Arvi, Kaarin, Raili, Sulo. Scandinavian Alvar, Swen, Iver, Nels, Viljo.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Aho in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. census data, the surname Aho has shown moderate popularity growth in the United States over the past decade. In 2000, it was ranked as the 8,636th most popular surname, and by 2010, it had risen slightly to the 8,506th position, marking a 1.51% increase. The number of individuals with this surname also saw a rise from 3,505 in 2000 to 3,872 in 2010, indicating an impressive growth of 10.47%. The proportion of the population carrying this surname per 100k also increased from 1.3 to 1.31.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #8,636 | #8,506 | 1.51% |
| Count | 3,505 | 3,872 | 10.47% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.3 | 1.31 | 0.77% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Aho
The ethnicity distribution for the surname Aho displays significant changes over the decade according to the Decennial U.S. Census. As of 2000, the majority of individuals identifying with this surname were White, accounting for 93.01%, although this figure decreased to 90.47% by 2010. An increase was observed among all other ethnic identities. Notably, those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native rose from 0.40% to 0.93%, marking a substantial change of 132.50%. The figures for Hispanic and Black ethnic identities also showed considerable growth, increasing by 89.74% and 93.33% respectively. Lastly, the proportion of individuals associating with Asian/Pacific Islander or two or more races also saw modest increases of 4.46% and 15.48% respectively.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 93.01% | 90.47% | -2.73% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 3.14% | 3.28% | 4.46% |
| Hispanic | 1.17% | 2.22% | 89.74% |
| Two or More Races | 1.68% | 1.94% | 15.48% |
| Black | 0.6% | 1.16% | 93.33% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.4% | 0.93% | 132.5% |
Aho ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Aho is Finnish, which comprises 36.4% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (23.1%) and French & German (17.9%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Eastern European, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, and Filipino & Austronesian.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Finnish | 36.4% |
| British & Irish | 23.1% |
| French & German | 17.9% |
| Other | 22.6% |
Possible origins of the surname Aho
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Aho have recent ancestry locations in Finland and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Central Finland, Finland | 61.60% |
| Ostrobothnia, Finland | 61.60% |
| Kainuu, Finland | 61.60% |
| Kymenlaakso, Finland | 61.60% |
| Lapland, Finland | 61.60% |
What Aho haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Aho is N-CTS1737, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup N-CTS1737 is descended from haplogroup N-M231. Other common haplogroups include I-L258 and R-P311, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Kangas, Maki, Koski, Niemi, Hendrickson, Mattson, Santos, Fernandez, Lambert, Pereira.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Aho surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins N-M231
Your paternal lineage may be linked to men with indigenous Siberian ancestry
Haplogroup N-M178 is the most common paternal lineage in people of indigenous Siberian descent, but it probably only arrived in Siberia within the last 3,000 years. By the time members of N-M178 arrived in Siberia from Mongolia and northern China, other humans had probably been there for tens of thousands of years. In fact, research suggests that modern humans have been in Siberia near the Altai Mountains for 40,000 years, mostly as hunter-gatherers. The original inhabitants of Siberia probably migrated from Central Asia, not long after the original human exodus from Africa 50,000-70,000 years ago.
Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Aho have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Aho" Surname 45.9%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Aho" Surname 15.6%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Aho" Surname 13.3%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Aho" Surname 14.6%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Aho?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Aho are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition