Explore the Family Name Box
The meaning of Box
English: habitational name from various major and minor places called Box, including parishes named Box in Gloucestershire and Wiltshire, Box Farm in Awre (Gloucestershire), Boxfield Farm in Hertfordshire (recorded as Boxe from 1086 to 1428), and Box Hill in Dorking, Surrey, all named with Old English, Middle English box ‘box-tree’. The surname may sometimes also be purely topographic, where the reference is solely to residence by a box-tree, not to a farm or hamlet so named.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Box in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Box was ranked 3,190th in popularity in 2000 and fell to 3,538th place by 2010. This represents a decrease of roughly 10.91% over that decade. The actual count of people bearing the Box surname also slightly decreased, from 10,320 in 2000 to 10,098 in 2010, showing a reduction of about 2.15%. Consequently, the proportion of individuals named Box per 100,000 also declined from 3.83 to 3.42 during those years, marking an approximate 10.7% drop.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #3,190 | #3,538 | -10.91% |
| Count | 10,320 | 10,098 | -2.15% |
| Proportion per 100k | 3.83 | 3.42 | -10.7% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Box
When it comes to ethnic identity, the Box surname showed some evolution between 2000 and 2010 according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. While the majority of people with this surname identified as White (85.08% in 2000, reducing to 82.98% in 2010), there were noticeable increases in other ethnicities. Those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander rose by 20%, from 0.50% to 0.60%, while individuals claiming two or more races increased by approximately 24.67%, from 1.50% to 1.87%. The Hispanic representation also grew by 15.38%, from 1.95% to 2.25%. Individuals identifying as Black saw a rise of 12.73%, from 9.74% to 10.98%, and those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native increased by 7.32%, from 1.23% to 1.32%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 85.08% | 82.98% | -2.47% |
| Black | 9.74% | 10.98% | 12.73% |
| Hispanic | 1.95% | 2.25% | 15.38% |
| Two or More Races | 1.5% | 1.87% | 24.67% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 1.23% | 1.32% | 7.32% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.5% | 0.6% | 20% |
Box 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 Box is British & Irish, which comprises 61.5% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (21.6%) and Scandinavian (3.8%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, Nigerian, and Indigenous American.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 61.5% |
| French & German | 21.6% |
| Scandinavian | 3.8% |
| Other | 13.1% |
Possible origins of the surname Box
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 Box have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 88.80% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 88.80% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 88.40% |
| Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom | 88.40% |
| Lancashire, United Kingdom | 88.40% |
What Box 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 Box is R-Z51, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-Z51 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-U152 and R-Z19, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Hampton, Weber, Dennis, Knight, Mueller, Keller, Myers, Meier, Vogel, Randall.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Box 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 Box 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.
"Box" Surname 44.0%
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.
"Box" Surname 33.3%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Box" Surname 19.1%
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.
"Box" Surname 16.3%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Box?
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 Box are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition