Explore the Family Name Anthony
The meaning of Anthony
1. English and West Indian (mainly Antigua and Barbuda, Saint Lucia, and Trinidad and Tobago, also Dutch Caribbean): from the personal name Anthony, Latin Antonius, which, with its variants and cognates, is one of the commonest personal names in Europe. Spellings with -h-, which first appear in English in the 16th century and in French (as Anthoine) at about the same time, are due to the erroneous belief that the name derives from Greek anthos ‘flower’. The popularity of the personal name in Christendom is largely due to the cult of the Egyptian hermit Saint Anthony (ad 251–356), who in his old age gathered a community of hermits around him, and for that reason is regarded by some as the founder of monasticism. It was further increased by the fame of Saint Anthony of Padua (1195–1231), who long enjoyed a great popular cult and who is believed to help people find lost things. In North America, the English form of the surname has absorbed cognates and derivatives (patronymics) from other languages, for example Greek patronymic Antoniades, Italian Antoni, Polish Antoniewicz, Croatian and Serbian Antonović (see Antonovich) and Antunović; see also below. The name Anthony is also found among Christians in southern India, but since South Indians traditionally do not have hereditary surnames, the southern Indian name was in most cases registered as such only after immigration of its bearers to the US. Compare Antony. 2. German, Flemish, and French (mainly Alsace): Latinized (humanistic) patronymic from local equivalents of the Latin personal name Antonius, from its genitive form Antoni(i). In North America, this surname is also an altered form of the German, Dutch, French, and Slovak cognates Antoni 1 and Antony 2. History: John Anthony of Hampstead, Middlesex, England (now part of north London) migrated to Boston, MA, in 1634. By 1640 he had moved to Providence, RI, where his descendants are still established.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Anthony in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname 'Anthony' has seen a slight decrease in rank from 580 in 2000 to 618 in 2010, representing a change of -6.55. However, the count of individuals with this surname increased by 5.69%, from 52,146 to 55,114 over the same period. The proportion per 100,000 people also saw a slight decrease, going from 19.33 to 18.68, a drop of 3.36%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #580 | #618 | -6.55% |
| Count | 52,146 | 55,114 | 5.69% |
| Proportion per 100k | 19.33 | 18.68 | -3.36% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Anthony
In terms of ethnic identity, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows that the largest group associated with the 'Anthony' surname is the White ethnicity, though it decreased from 63.43% in 2000 to 59.82% in 2010. The next most significant group are those identified as Black, increasing slightly from 30.43% to 31.93%. The biggest percentage increase was seen in the Hispanic category, which jumped by 47.49% from 2.59% to 3.82%. Asian/Pacific Islanders and those identifying as two or more races also saw increases, 39.09% and 24.46% respectively. The American Indian and Alaskan Native category remained the same at 0.62%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 63.43% | 59.82% | -5.69% |
| Black | 30.43% | 31.93% | 4.93% |
| Hispanic | 2.59% | 3.82% | 47.49% |
| Two or More Races | 1.84% | 2.29% | 24.46% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 1.1% | 1.53% | 39.09% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.62% | 0.62% | 0% |
Anthony 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 Anthony is British & Irish, which comprises 42.9% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (21.3%) and Eastern European (5.0%). Additional ancestries include Italian, Nigerian, Spanish & Portuguese, Scandinavian, and Ghanaian, Liberian & Sierra Leonean.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 42.9% |
| French & German | 21.3% |
| Eastern European | 5.0% |
| Other | 30.8% |
Possible origins of the surname Anthony
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 Anthony have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 74.50% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 74.30% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 74.20% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 73.80% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 73.80% |
What Anthony 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 Anthony is R-Z326, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-Z326 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-P311 and R-U152, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: White, Miller, Hill, Brown, Keller, Smith, Fisher, Johnson, Snyder, Wilson.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Anthony surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343
Your paternal lineage may be linked to King Louis XVI
The rule of France by men of the House of Bourbon began with King Henri IV in 1589 C.E. and continued until the beheading of his direct paternal descendant King Louis XVI in 1793. Several years ago, researchers analyzed a mummified head and a blood-soaked cloth that they believed might belong to the two kings, and concluded that the royal paternal line belonged to haplogroup G. In a more recent study, however, a different set of researchers tested three living men who are direct descendants of the Bourbon kings. Their efforts revealed that the male lineage of the House of Bourbon is actually a branch of haplogroup R-M405.
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 Anthony 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.
"Anthony" Surname 44.2%
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.
"Anthony" Surname 24.7%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Anthony" Surname 22.4%
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.
"Anthony" Surname 16.1%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Anthony?
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 Anthony are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition