Explore the Family Name Ansari
The meaning of Ansari
Muslim (mainly the Indian subcontinent and Iran): from the Arabic name Anṣārī ‘one who traces his lineage to one of the Anṣār’. Anṣar is the plural of Nāṣir ‘friend, supporter’, a term traditionally used to denote the people of Medina who helped the prophet Muhammad after the Hegira in 622 AD. Some characteristic forenames: Arabic/Muslim Mohammad, Mohammed, Shahid, Abdul, Ali, Khalid, Mohsin, Amir, Hamid, Nadeem, Sajid, Aftab.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Ansari in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname "Ansari" significantly increased between 2000 and 2010. The rank of this surname jumped from 9180 in 2000 to 7148 in 2010, showing an increase of 22.14%. Similarly, the count of individuals with this last name rose from 3267 to 4679 during the same period, marking a substantial growth of 43.22%. The proportion per 100,000 people also saw an upswing from 1.21 to 1.59, indicating a 31.4% rise.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #9,180 | #7,148 | 22.14% |
| Count | 3,267 | 4,679 | 43.22% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.21 | 1.59 | 31.4% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Ansari
Turning to ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals a shift in the ethnic identity associated with the surname "Ansari" from 2000 to 2010. Asian/Pacific Islanders made up the largest group, increasing from 49.95% to 61.30%, a change of 22.72%. However, those identifying as having two or more races decreased by 37.17%, falling from 11.57% to 7.27%. Whites with this surname dropped by 20.04%, shifting from 29.14% to 23.30%. Hispanics saw a slight rise from 1.53% to 1.88%, a growth of 22.88%. The percentage of Blacks fell from 7.59% to 6.16%, a reduction of 18.84%. Lastly, American Indian and Alaskan Natives holding the Ansari surname declined considerably from 0.21% to 0.11%, a decrease of 47.62%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 49.95% | 61.3% | 22.72% |
| White | 29.14% | 23.3% | -20.04% |
| Two or More Races | 11.57% | 7.27% | -37.17% |
| Black | 7.59% | 6.16% | -18.84% |
| Hispanic | 1.53% | 1.88% | 22.88% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.21% | 0.11% | -47.62% |
Ansari 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 Ansari is Northern Indian & Pakistani, which comprises 38.5% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are Iranian, Caucasian & Mesopotamian (20.1%) and Southern Indian & Sri Lankan (7.9%). Additional ancestries include British & Irish, Bengali & Northeast Indian, French & German, Central Asian, and Nigerian.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Northern Indian & Pakistani | 38.5% |
| Iranian, Caucasian & Mesopotamian | 20.1% |
| Southern Indian & Sri Lankan | 7.9% |
| Other | 33.5% |
Possible origins of the surname Ansari
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 Ansari have recent ancestry locations spanning a few countries, mostly in India, and Pakistan.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Uttar Pradesh, India | 22.10% |
| Punjab, India | 20.20% |
| Punjab, Pakistan | 19.20% |
| Tehran Province, Iran | 17.30% |
| Isfahan Province, Iran | 16.30% |
What Ansari 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 Ansari is R-L266, which is predominantly found among people with Central & South Asian ancestry. Haplogroup R-L266 is descended from haplogroup R-M479. Other common haplogroups include R-L23 and J-L26, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Baig, Shaikh, Sheikh, Aziz, Rashid, Das, Rao, Ahmad, Nathan, Chaudhry.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Ansari surname are: M, H, R. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M479
Your paternal lineage may be linked to the Romani people
The Roma, who are also called "Gypsies" and "Romanies," are an ethnic group that originated in India and migrated to Europe 1,000 years ago. There are several different Roma populations, including Vlach Roma, who speak Hungarian and Romani languages, and Carpathian Roma, who speak exclusively Hungarian. Today, Roma populations mostly live in Southeastern and Central Europe, and make up about 7% of the total population in Hungary. Haplogroup R2a is also present in a Kuwaiti Bedouin population called the Awazim. It is possible that haplogroup R2a was brought into the Awazim population during the migration of the Roma people from India to Europe 1,000 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 Ansari 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.
"Ansari" Surname 31.8%
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.
"Ansari" Surname 35.0%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Vitamin Use
Takes vitamins on a regular basis.
"Ansari" Surname 64.7%
23andMe Users 45.5%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Ansari" Surname 16.2%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Ansari?
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 Ansari are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition