Explore the Family Name Ballesteros
The meaning of Ballesteros
Spanish: habitational name from any of various places in Spain, for example Ballesteros de Calatrava in the province of Ciudad Real, Los Ballesteros (Huelva), Ballesteros (Cuenca), and others no longer identifiable, which were probably so named because of their association with ballesteros ‘crossbowmen’, plural of ballestero, an agent derivative of ballesta ‘crossbow’ (see Ballester). Some characteristic forenames: Spanish Jose, Francisco, Juan, Alfredo, Fernando, Manuel, Jaime, Jesus, Luis, Carlos, Jorge, Lupe.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Ballesteros in the United States?
According to the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Ballesteros has seen a noticeable increase in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked 4248th in terms of commonality and rose to 3481st by 2010, marking an 18.06 percent change. The count of people with this surname increased by 33.02 percent from 7714 to 10261 during the same period. The proportion of individuals with the Ballesteros surname per 100,000 people also saw an increase of 21.68 percent, moving from 2.86 to 3.48.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #4,248 | #3,481 | 18.06% |
| Count | 7,714 | 10,261 | 33.02% |
| Proportion per 100k | 2.86 | 3.48 | 21.68% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Ballesteros
The Decennial U.S. Census also provides insight into the ethnic identity associated with the Ballesteros surname. A large majority, 78.76 percent in 2010, identify as Hispanic, showing a minuscule increase of 0.06 percent from 2000. Those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander make up the second-largest group at 13.70 percent, experiencing a slight decrease of 0.80 percent over the decade. Individuals identifying as Black showed the most significant percentage change, increasing 73.08 percent, although still comprising less than one percent of the total. Persons of White ethnicity decreased slightly, from 5.70 percent to 5.38 percent. The smallest group, American Indian, and Alaskan Native saw a decrease of 26.09 percent, making up just 0.17 percent of the total in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic | 78.71% | 78.76% | 0.06% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 13.81% | 13.7% | -0.8% |
| White | 5.7% | 5.38% | -5.61% |
| Two or More Races | 1.28% | 1.54% | 20.31% |
| Black | 0.26% | 0.45% | 73.08% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.23% | 0.17% | -26.09% |
Ballesteros 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 Ballesteros is Spanish & Portuguese, which comprises 41.2% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are Indigenous American (25.5%) and Filipino & Austronesian (11.3%). Additional ancestries include British & Irish, French & German, Italian, Chinese, and Ashkenazi Jewish.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Spanish & Portuguese | 41.2% |
| Indigenous American | 25.5% |
| Filipino & Austronesian | 11.3% |
| Other | 21.9% |
Possible origins of the surname Ballesteros
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 Ballesteros have recent ancestry locations all within Mexico.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Nuevo Leon, Mexico | 58.40% |
| Sinaloa, Mexico | 58.40% |
| Michoacan, Mexico | 58.40% |
| Guerrero, Mexico | 58.40% |
| Guanajuato, Mexico | 58.40% |
What Ballesteros 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 Ballesteros 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 J-M92 and R-Z195, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Nogueira, Conde, Garzon, Vicente, Machado, Viera, Sutherland, Armstrong, Iglesias, Parris.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Ballesteros surname are: A2, H, B2. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your maternal lineage may be linked to some of the first Americans
Though the Ice Age was beginning to retreat when your A2 ancestors first entered North America, there were still massive barriers blocking their way. Glaciers and inhospitable climate covered much of the continent, blocking entry into the interior. Nonetheless, researchers have found evidence that a wave of American founders migrated over 13,000 kilometers to reach southern Chile in only 2,000 years, a blink of an eye in the story of human migration! Their highway to the south was the coast of the Pacific, stocked with fish, diverse marine mammals, and other valuable resources in the rich kelp forests of the upper latitudes and in the abundant fresh-water rivers near the equator. Because of this rapid movement south, the A2 haplogroup and its diverse branches are found throughout North and South America.
What do people with the surname Ballesteros 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.
"Ballesteros" Surname 37.5%
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.
"Ballesteros" Surname 41.9%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Ballesteros" Surname 12.2%
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.
"Ballesteros" Surname 9.5%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Ballesteros?
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 Ballesteros are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition