Explore the Family Name Bales
The meaning of Bales
1. English: either a variant of Bale, with excrescent -s, or a variant of Bayliss. 2. English: habitational name from Bayles in Alston, Cumbria. 3. Slovak and Czech (Báleš, rarely Baleš): from a pet form of Bal, a short form of the personal name Baltazar (Slovak Baltazár).
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Bales in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Bales witnessed a slight decrease in popularity between 2000 and 2010. Ranking at 2,550 in 2000, it slipped to 2,704 by 2010, marking a decline of 6.04%. However, the total number of people with this surname increased marginally from 13,028 in 2000 to 13,326 in 2010, which is a growth of 2.29%. The proportion per 100k also saw a minor drop of 6.42% during the same period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,550 | #2,704 | -6.04% |
| Count | 13,028 | 13,326 | 2.29% |
| Proportion per 100k | 4.83 | 4.52 | -6.42% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Bales
When it comes to the ethnic identity associated with the surname Bales, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals some shifts over the decade. In 2000, a whopping 93.69% of individuals with the Bales surname identified as White, which slightly decreased to 92.49% by 2010. The Asian/Pacific Islander identity experienced a small increase from 0.64% to 0.67%. There was a notable rise among those identifying with two or more races, from 1.62% to 2.12%, and the Hispanic segment also grew from 1.87% to 2.78%. Conversely, the percentage of Black and American Indian and Alaskan Native identifiers saw decreases, with the former dropping from 1.15% to 0.94% and the latter from 1.03% to 1.01%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 93.69% | 92.49% | -1.28% |
| Hispanic | 1.87% | 2.78% | 48.66% |
| Two or More Races | 1.62% | 2.12% | 30.86% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 1.03% | 1.01% | -1.94% |
| Black | 1.15% | 0.94% | -18.26% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.64% | 0.67% | 4.69% |
Bales 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 Bales is British & Irish, which comprises 54.2% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (26.0%) and Eastern European (4.2%). Additional ancestries include Spanish & Portuguese, Scandinavian, Italian, Indigenous American, and Ashkenazi Jewish.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 54.2% |
| French & German | 26.0% |
| Eastern European | 4.2% |
| Other | 15.6% |
Possible origins of the surname Bales
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 Bales have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 90.20% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 90.20% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 90.20% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 89.90% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 89.70% |
What Bales 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 Bales is R-Z159, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-Z159 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-CTS241 and R-L48, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Wilbur, Logue, Westfall, Blood, Crenshaw, Cloud, Elrod, Bunnell, Morehouse, Spurgeon.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Bales 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 Bales 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.
"Bales" Surname 46.6%
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.
"Bales" Surname 33.3%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Bales" Surname 28.8%
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.
"Bales" Surname 21.4%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Bales?
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 Bales are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition