Explore the Family Name Ames
The meaning of Ames
1. English (of Norman origin): from the Old French personal name Amis or from the feminine form, Amice. The Old French word amis, is from Latin amicus ‘friend’, which was used in Late Latin as a term for a man of the lower classes, in particular a slave. There were also derivatives of this as personal names, in particular masculine Amicius and feminine Amicia. Both were in use as personal names in England and may have contributed to the surname. 2. German: perhaps a nickname for an active person, from an ancient Germanic word related to Old High German amazzig ‘busy’. 3. Dutch: possibly a patronymic from Ame a common personal name in Holland and Friesland, an abbreviated form of an ancient Germanic personal name, perhaps beginning with amel ‘strong’. History: William Ames, the son of Richard Ames of Bruton, Somerset, came to Braintree, MA, from England c.1640. He had numerous prominent descendants.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Ames in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname "Ames" has seen a slight decrease between 2000 and 2010. Ranked 1,499 in 2000, it dropped to 1,598 in 2010, reflecting a 6.6% change. However, the count of individuals with this surname slightly increased by 2.43%, rising from 21,855 to 22,385. The proportion per 100,000 people also fell by 6.3%, moving from 8.1 in 2000 to 7.59 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,499 | #1,598 | -6.6% |
| Count | 21,855 | 22,385 | 2.43% |
| Proportion per 100k | 8.1 | 7.59 | -6.3% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Ames
In terms of ethnicity, Census data shows some shifts among individuals with the Ames surname between 2000 and 2010. While the percentage of those identifying as White decreased by 1.70%, from 86.11% to 84.65%, there was a significant increase in those identifying as Hispanic, with a change of 45.99%. The Asian/Pacific Islander category saw a smaller increase of 11.63%, and the group identifying with two or more races grew by 21.15%. Conversely, the Black and American Indian and Alaskan Native categories experienced decreases of 1.25% and 17.33% respectively.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 86.11% | 84.65% | -1.7% |
| Black | 7.98% | 7.88% | -1.25% |
| Hispanic | 2.74% | 4% | 45.99% |
| Two or More Races | 1.56% | 1.89% | 21.15% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.86% | 0.96% | 11.63% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.75% | 0.62% | -17.33% |
Ames 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 Ames is British & Irish, which comprises 47.9% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (26.1%) and Eastern European (4.7%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Spanish & Portuguese, Ashkenazi Jewish, Italian, and Indigenous American.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 47.9% |
| French & German | 26.1% |
| Eastern European | 4.7% |
| Other | 21.3% |
Possible origins of the surname Ames
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 Ames have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 84.30% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 84.30% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 84.00% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 84.00% |
| West Yorkshire, United Kingdom | 83.90% |
What Ames 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 Ames is R-P311, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-P311 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-Z225 and R-L51, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Chamberlain, Armstrong, Ryan, Martindale, Mota, Kelsey, Nunes, Ochoa, Alford, Flint.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Ames surname are: H1c, H1, 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 Ames 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.
"Ames" Surname 41.3%
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.
"Ames" Surname 24.7%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Ames" Surname 22.2%
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.
"Ames" Surname 17.5%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Ames?
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 Ames are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition