Explore the Family Name Backus
The meaning of Backus
1. English (Leicestershire): from Middle English bak(e)hous ‘bakehouse’ (Old English bæchūs), hence a topographic name for someone who lived or worked in a bakery. 2. Dutch: in Limburg province, a shortened variant of Bakhuis, Dutch form of German Backhaus. 3. Americanized form of German Backhaus. 4. Lithuanian (Bačkus): from bačka ‘barrel, cask’, hence either a nickname for a short, fat man or an occupational name for a cooper. The surname Bačkus is very rare in Lithuania. History: Among the original settlers of Norwich (later Franklin), CT, in 1660 was Stephen Backus.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Backus in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname 'Backus' has seen a slight decrease between 2000 and 2010. In the year 2000, 'Backus' was ranked as the 4749th most popular surname, with a count of 6822 instances per 100k people. However, by 2010, its rank had dropped to 4974th, despite an increase in the count to 7064 instances per 100k people. This indicates a change of -4.74% in rank and a growth of 3.55% in count over this decade.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #4,749 | #4,974 | -4.74% |
| Count | 6,822 | 7,064 | 3.55% |
| Proportion per 100k | 2.53 | 2.39 | -5.53% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Backus
When examining the ethnic identity associated with the surname 'Backus', the Decennial U.S. Census data shows subtle shifts from 2000 to 2010. The majority of individuals with this surname identify as White, with a small decline from 87.89% in 2000 to 87.15% in 2010. There was also a slight decrease in those identifying as Black and American Indian and Alaskan Native. However, there were increases among those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and Two or more races. Notably, there was a significant rise in the percentage of individuals identifying as Hispanic, from 1.39% in 2000 to 2.19% in 2010, marking an increase of 57.55%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 87.89% | 87.15% | -0.84% |
| Black | 8.05% | 7.96% | -1.12% |
| Hispanic | 1.39% | 2.19% | 57.55% |
| Two or More Races | 1.72% | 1.83% | 6.4% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.48% | 0.54% | 12.5% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.47% | 0.34% | -27.66% |
Backus 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 Backus is British & Irish, which comprises 44.3% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (27.4%) and Eastern European (8.3%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, Nigerian, and Greek & Balkan.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 44.3% |
| French & German | 27.4% |
| Eastern European | 8.3% |
| Other | 20.1% |
Possible origins of the surname Backus
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 Backus have recent ancestry locations in United Kingdom and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 79.90% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 79.90% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 79.90% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 79.90% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 79.40% |
What Backus 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 Backus is R-Z209, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-Z209 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-M405 and R-P311, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Burke, Goss, Bernard, Vickers, Shelby, Burk, Fidler, Clemens, Willey, Swift.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Backus 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 Backus 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.
"Backus" Surname 41.2%
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.
"Backus" Surname 24.1%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Backus" Surname 20.5%
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.
"Backus" Surname 17.8%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Backus?
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 Backus are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition