Explore the Family Name Britt
The meaning of Britt
1. English: ethnic name for a Celtic-speaking Briton or a Breton, from Middle English brit, bret, Old French bret (see Brett). 2. German: from a vernacular form of the personal name Brixius (see Brice).
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Britt in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Britt has seen some changes over a decade. In 2000, it was ranked 1059 in terms of prevalence, but by 2010, it had dropped slightly to 1115, marking a decrease of 5.29%. However, the number of individuals bearing this surname actually rose from 30,200 in 2000 to 31,474 in 2010, an increase of 4.22%. The proportion per 100,000 people decreased slightly from 11.2 to 10.67 during the same period, showing a drop of 4.73%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,059 | #1,115 | -5.29% |
| Count | 30,200 | 31,474 | 4.22% |
| Proportion per 100k | 11.2 | 10.67 | -4.73% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Britt
When looking at the ethnic identity associated with the surname Britt, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals several shifts between 2000 and 2010. White representation within the Britt surname slid from 75.76% to 73.72%, while Black representation saw a minor increase of 2.15%, moving from 20.46% to 20.90%. The group identifying as Two or More Races experienced a significant surge of 47.37%, going from 1.33% to 1.96%. Hispanic representation also grew notably from 1.38% to 2.25%, a rise of 63.04%. Those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander declined from 0.35% to 0.32%, and American Indian and Alaskan Native representation increased from 0.71% to 0.84%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 75.76% | 73.72% | -2.69% |
| Black | 20.46% | 20.9% | 2.15% |
| Hispanic | 1.38% | 2.25% | 63.04% |
| Two or More Races | 1.33% | 1.96% | 47.37% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.71% | 0.84% | 18.31% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.35% | 0.32% | -8.57% |
Britt 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 Britt is British & Irish, which comprises 58.4% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (19.5%) and Nigerian (3.5%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Italian, Scandinavian, Ghanaian, Liberian & Sierra Leonean, and Spanish & Portuguese.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 58.4% |
| French & German | 19.5% |
| Nigerian | 3.5% |
| Other | 18.6% |
Possible origins of the surname Britt
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 Britt have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 86.00% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 86.00% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 85.80% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 85.60% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 85.10% |
What Britt 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 Britt is J-L26, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup J-L26 is descended from haplogroup J-M304. Other common haplogroups include R-CTS241 and R-P311, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Montgomery, Durham, Otero, Strange, Abreu, Valencia, Betancourt, Dicks, Goble, Walton.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Britt surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins J-M304Your 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 Britt 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.
"Britt" Surname 39.2%
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.
"Britt" Surname 31.2%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Britt" Surname 24.8%
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.
"Britt" Surname 18.2%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Britt?
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 Britt are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition