Explore the Family Name Alter
The meaning of Alter
1. German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): distinguishing epithet for the older of two bearers of the same personal name. 2. Jewish (Ashkenazic): from the Yiddish personal name Alter, an inflected form of alt ‘old’. This was in part an omen or well-wishing name, expressing the parents’ hope that the child would live a long life; in part a protective name, given to a child born after the death of a sibling, but also said to have sometimes been assumed by someone who was seriously ill. The purpose is supposed to have been to confuse the Angel of Death into thinking that the person was old and so not worth claiming as a victim. 3. German: from a short form of an ancient Germanic personal name formed with alt ‘old’. Some characteristic forenames: Jewish Aron, Avrohom, Meyer, Rivkah, Alter, Chiam, Haim, Hyman, Uri, Yisroel, Yol.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Alter in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname 'Alter' has seen slight changes between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Alter ranked 8,176 in terms of popularity, but by 2010, it had slipped to a rank of 8,597. This shows a decrease in popularity by 5.15 percent. However, the number of individuals with the Alter surname rose slightly from 3,731 in 2000 to 3,830 in 2010, marking an increase of 2.65 percent. Unfortunately, the proportion per 100k fell by 5.8 percent over the same period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #8,176 | #8,597 | -5.15% |
| Count | 3,731 | 3,830 | 2.65% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.38 | 1.3 | -5.8% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Alter
Discussing the ethnic identity associated with the surname Alter, data from the Decennial U.S. Census indicates diverse changes between 2000 and 2010. The percentage of those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander more than doubled, growing by 101.43 percent. A smaller increase of 26.19 percent was observed for individuals identifying with two or more races. The majority of people named Alter identified as White, although this representation decreased slightly by 1.74 percent. Meanwhile, the Hispanic representation saw an increase of 51.80 percent. Those identifying as Black and American Indian or Alaskan Native showed a drop in their percentages, by 7.14 percent and 23.81 percent respectively.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 95.74% | 94.07% | -1.74% |
| Hispanic | 1.39% | 2.11% | 51.8% |
| Two or More Races | 1.26% | 1.59% | 26.19% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.7% | 1.41% | 101.43% |
| Black | 0.7% | 0.65% | -7.14% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.21% | 0.16% | -23.81% |
Alter 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 Alter is Ashkenazi Jewish, which comprises 37.7% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (24.7%) and French & German (18.2%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, Scandinavian, and Indigenous American.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Ashkenazi Jewish | 37.7% |
| British & Irish | 24.7% |
| French & German | 18.2% |
| Other | 19.3% |
Possible origins of the surname Alter
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 Alter have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 53.40% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 53.40% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 53.40% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 52.60% |
| West Yorkshire, United Kingdom | 52.60% |
What Alter 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 Alter is R-U152, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-U152 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include J-CTS5368 and R-Z645, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Hertz, Toma, Cimino, Lesser, Deangelis, Weiser, Deutsch, Meltzer, Kaufman, Lieberman.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Alter surname are: H1, N, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your 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 Alter 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.
"Alter" Surname 43.8%
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.
"Alter" Surname 34.5%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Alter" Surname 12.5%
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.
"Alter" Surname 16.2%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Alter?
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 Alter are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition