Explore the Family Name Braga
The meaning of Braga
Portuguese and Galician: habitational name from Braga, a city in northern Portugal. As Bracara Augusta, it was the capital of the Roman province of Gallaecia. Some characteristic forenames: Spanish Manuel, Jose, Francisco, Luis, Mario, Sergio, Alvaro, Carlos, Luiz, Reginaldo, Virginio, Adriana. Portuguese Paulo, Duarte, Joao, Albano.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Braga in the United States?
The surname Braga saw a rise in popularity between the years 2000 and 2010 according to data from the Decennial U.S. Census. In 2000, Braga ranked as the 10,595th most popular surname but by 2010 it had climbed to the 9,557th spot, indicating a positive change of 9.8%. Additionally, the number of people bearing this surname increased from 2,776 in 2000 to 3,402 in 2010, marking a growth rate of 22.55%. The proportion per 100,000 people also rose slightly over the decade, going from 1.03 to 1.15, showing an increase of 11.65%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #10,595 | #9,557 | 9.8% |
| Count | 2,776 | 3,402 | 22.55% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.03 | 1.15 | 11.65% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Braga
As for its ethnicity distribution, data from the Decennial U.S. Census indicates notable shifts between 2000 and 2010. While the white population with the surname Braga remained relatively stable (81.95% in 2000 to 82.72% in 2010), there were significant changes among other ethnic identities. The Asian/Pacific Islander group showed a considerable increase, moving from 5.22% to 7.11%, a change of 36.21%. Meanwhile, there was a marked decrease (-67.56%) within the category of two or more races, which went from 5.98% in 2000 to 1.94% in 2010. The percentage of Hispanic individuals named Braga grew modestly by 7.58%, while the Black community saw a substantial growth of 200.00%, albeit from a small base of 0.47% to 1.41%. Conversely, the American Indian and Alaskan Native population experienced a slight decline of 16.67%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 81.95% | 82.72% | 0.94% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 5.22% | 7.11% | 36.21% |
| Hispanic | 6.2% | 6.67% | 7.58% |
| Two or More Races | 5.98% | 1.94% | -67.56% |
| Black | 0.47% | 1.41% | 200% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.18% | 0.15% | -16.67% |
Braga 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 Braga is Spanish & Portuguese, which comprises 55.7% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (11.4%) and Italian (8.4%). Additional ancestries include French & German, Filipino & Austronesian, Eastern European, Indigenous American, and Scandinavian.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Spanish & Portuguese | 55.7% |
| British & Irish | 11.4% |
| Italian | 8.4% |
| Other | 24.6% |
Possible origins of the surname Braga
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 Braga have recent ancestry locations in Portugal and Brazil.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Azores, Portugal | 68.40% |
| Madeira, Portugal | 68.40% |
| Lisbon, Portugal | 66.20% |
| Aveiro District, Portugal | 66.20% |
| Porto District, Portugal | 64.70% |
What Braga 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 Braga 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 R-U152 and R-DF27, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Bolanos, Coelho, Paez, Rego, Pardo, Grimm, Enos, Duval, Cabral, Schoen.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Braga surname are: B2, H1, 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 Braga 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.
"Braga" Surname 42.4%
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.
"Braga" Surname 44.0%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Braga" Surname 20.4%
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.
"Braga" Surname 24.3%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Braga?
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 Braga are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition