Explore the Family Name Bednar

The meaning of Bednar

1. Czech (Bednář); Slovak and Rusyn (from Slovakia) (Bednár); Slovenian: occupational name for a ‘cooper’, from an agent noun based on Czech bedna ‘wooden case or chest’, Slovenian dialect bedenj ‘tub’. Compare Bodnar. 2. Americanized form of Polish Bednarz ‘cooper’.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Bednar in the United States?

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Bednar saw a slight shift in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it ranked 7686th in popularity and slightly dropped in rank to 7968th by 2010, representing a 3.67% decrease. Despite this marginal drop in rank, the count of people with the Bednar surname actually increased from 3994 in 2000 to 4151 in 2010, a 3.93% growth. However, when considering the proportion per 100k, there was a minor decline of 4.73% over the decade.

20002010Change
Rank#7,686#7,968-3.67%
Count3,9944,1513.93%
Proportion per 100k1.481.41-4.73%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Bednar

The ethnicity distribution associated with the Bednar surname also changed over this ten-year period, as per the Decennial U.S. Census data. The largest ethnic identity, White, saw a slight decrease from 96.87% in 2000 to 95.64% in 2010. While smaller in overall percentage, the Asian/Pacific Islander and Hispanic populations both saw significant increases in representation, growing by 58.49% and 53.7%, respectively. Those identifying with two or more races grew by 33.01%, and the Black population increased by 36%. Conversely, those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native decreased by 44%.

20002010Change
White96.87%95.64%-1.27%
Hispanic1.08%1.66%53.7%
Two or More Races1.03%1.37%33.01%
Asian/Pacific Islander0.53%0.84%58.49%
Black0.25%0.34%36%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0.25%0.14%-44%

Bednar 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 Bednar is Eastern European, which comprises 33.6% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (30.5%) and French & German (22.0%). Additional ancestries include Italian, Scandinavian, Greek & Balkan, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Spanish & Portuguese.

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ANCESTRY BREAKDOWNCOMPOSITION
Eastern European33.6%
British & Irish30.5%
French & German22.0%
Other13.8%
Bednar

Possible origins of the surname Bednar

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 Bednar have recent ancestry locations spanning a few countries, mostly in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and Ireland.

RECENT ANCESTRY LocationPercentage
Merseyside, United Kingdom65.20%
Greater Manchester, United Kingdom65.20%
Greater London, United Kingdom65.20%
Glasgow City, United Kingdom65.20%
West Midlands, United Kingdom65.20%

What Bednar 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 Bednar is R-L260, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-L260 is descended from haplogroup R-M420. Other common haplogroups include R-P311 and R-CTS3402, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Nowakowski, Wargo, Krajewski, Kwiatkowski, Hudak, Majewski, Sadowski, Wilk, Sabol, Olszewski.

The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Bednar surname are: H1, N, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.

bednarPaternal Haplogroup Origins R-M420

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.

Maternal Haplo Image

What do people with the surname Bednar 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

Bednar

Chocolate Ice Cream

Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.

"Bednar" Surname 46.2%

23andMe Users 41.3%

Traits

Bednar

Misophonia

When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.

"Bednar" Surname 24.1%

23andMe Users 27.9%

Habits

Bednar

Sugary Drink

Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.

"Bednar" Surname 21.1%

23andMe Users 21.1%

Wellness

Bednar

Migraine

A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.

"Bednar" Surname 21.6%

23andMe Users 16.4%

Are health conditions linked to the last name Bednar?

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 Bednar are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition

Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Y402H variant

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of irreversible vision loss among older adults. The disease results in damage to the central part of the retina (the macula), impairing vision needed for reading, driving, or even recognizing faces. The 23andMe Health + Ancestry DNA test includes the two most common variants associated with an increased risk of developing the condition: the Y402H variant in the CFH gene and the A69S variant in the ARMS2 gene. Learn more about Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Eastern European 60.6%

23andMe Users 57.2%