Explore the Family Name Ash
The meaning of Ash
1. English: from Middle English asche ‘ash tree’ (Old English æsc), hence a topographic name for someone living by an ash tree or a habitational name from any of the many places in southern and central England named with this word (Derbyshire, Dorset, Hampshire, Herefordshire, Kent, Surrey, Shropshire, Somerset, and elsewhere). 2. Americanized form of German Asch and Esch, the latter ultimately also of Swiss German origin (see Oesch). 3. Americanized form (translation into English) of French Dufresne, with the same meaning as 1 above. 4. Jewish (Ashkenazic): from an acronym for Yiddish AltSHul (see Altschul) or AyznSHtot (see Eisenstadt). History: This (see 2 above) is one of the variants of the name of a Swiss Mennonite family, originally spelled Oesch and later, in Germany, Esch.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Ash in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname "Ash" has seen slight changes between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Ash ranked as the 1609th most popular surname, but by 2010, it had dropped slightly in rank to 1709th, marking a decrease of 6.22%. Despite this drop in rank, the actual number of people with the Ash surname grew from 20,500 in 2000 to 21,030 in 2010, an increase of 2.59%. The proportion of individuals named Ash per 100,000 people also dipped slightly from 7.6 in 2000 to 7.13 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,609 | #1,709 | -6.22% |
| Count | 20,500 | 21,030 | 2.59% |
| Proportion per 100k | 7.6 | 7.13 | -6.18% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Ash
In terms of ethnic identity, the Decennial U.S. Census reveals some dynamic trends within the Ash surname bearers. While the majority of individuals with the surname identified as White (81.09% in 2010, down from 82.90% in 2000), there were notable increases in some minority ethnic identities. The percentage of those identifying as Hispanic rose by 40.85%, and those identifying with two or more races increased by 37.18%. The Black population within the Ash surname also saw growth, going from 12.75% in 2000 to 13.4% in 2010. However, the percentages of those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian and Alaskan Native decreased by 8.47% and 10.53% respectively.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 82.9% | 81.09% | -2.18% |
| Black | 12.75% | 13.4% | 5.1% |
| Hispanic | 1.64% | 2.31% | 40.85% |
| Two or More Races | 1.56% | 2.14% | 37.18% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.59% | 0.54% | -8.47% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.57% | 0.51% | -10.53% |
Ash 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 Ash is British & Irish, which comprises 49.1% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (24.8%) and Ashkenazi Jewish (5.5%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Scandinavian, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, and Nigerian.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 49.1% |
| French & German | 24.8% |
| Ashkenazi Jewish | 5.5% |
| Other | 20.6% |
Possible origins of the surname Ash
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 Ash have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 82.10% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 81.90% |
| Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom | 81.90% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 81.90% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 81.90% |
What Ash 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 Ash 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-L2 and R-CTS241, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Gary, Winters, Wilkins, Andrews, Luke, Owen, Powell, Davis, Perry, Harrison.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Ash surname are: H1, T2b, 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 Ash 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.
"Ash" Surname 49.7%
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.
"Ash" Surname 35.8%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Ash" Surname 26.5%
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.
"Ash" Surname 18.6%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Ash?
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 Ash are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition