Explore the Family Name Apple
The meaning of Apple
1. Americanized form (translation into English) of Jewish Appel. 2. Americanized form (translation into English) of German and Dutch Appel or German Apfel ‘apple’. 3. Americanized form (translation into English) of Estonian Õunapuu ‘apple-tree’, an arbitrary surname given to a peasant family by a manorial official. 4. In some cases also an Americanized form (translation into English) of Croatian Jabuka ‘apple tree, apple’, applied either as a topographic name for someone living by an apple tree, an occupational name for a grower or seller of apples, or a nickname for someone supposed to resemble an apple in some way, e.g. in having bright red cheeks.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Apple in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname "Apple" saw minor shifts in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked the 4698th most common surname, but by 2010, it had slipped slightly to the 5050th spot, a decrease of 7.49%. The total count of individuals with this surname saw a slight increase of 0.72%, going from 6898 to 6948. However, the proportion of individuals with the "Apple" surname per 100,000 people decreased by 7.81%, moving from 2.56 to 2.36.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #4,698 | #5,050 | -7.49% |
| Count | 6,898 | 6,948 | 0.72% |
| Proportion per 100k | 2.56 | 2.36 | -7.81% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Apple
The ethnic identity associated with the surname "Apple" experienced some changes between 2000 and 2010, according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. The percentage of those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander increased by 33.33%, while those reporting two or more races increased by 55.83%. Notably, the number of individuals identifying as Hispanic nearly doubled, with a significant increase of 73.17%. The proportion of white individuals with the "Apple" surname decreased slightly, by 2.74%, while those identifying as Black and American Indian and Alaskan Native saw increases of 19.12% and 11.37% respectively.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 91.97% | 89.45% | -2.74% |
| Black | 2.51% | 2.99% | 19.12% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 2.55% | 2.84% | 11.37% |
| Hispanic | 1.23% | 2.13% | 73.17% |
| Two or More Races | 1.2% | 1.87% | 55.83% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.54% | 0.72% | 33.33% |
Apple 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 Apple is British & Irish, which comprises 44.5% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (29.1%) and Ashkenazi Jewish (9.8%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Scandinavian, Italian, Indigenous American, and Spanish & Portuguese.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 44.5% |
| French & German | 29.1% |
| Ashkenazi Jewish | 9.8% |
| Other | 16.6% |
Possible origins of the surname Apple
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 Apple have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 85.20% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 85.20% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 84.60% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 84.60% |
| West Yorkshire, United Kingdom | 84.60% |
What Apple 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 Apple is R-S8183, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-S8183 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-U152 and R-L48, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Rapp, Zimmerman, Kline, Weber, Schumann, Schneider, Keller, Schmitt, Mueller, Schmidt.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Apple 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 Apple 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.
"Apple" Surname 35.2%
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.
"Apple" Surname 39.0%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Apple" Surname 16.4%
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.
"Apple" Surname 17.9%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Apple?
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 Apple are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition