Explore the Family Name Butterfield
The meaning of Butterfield
English: habitational name from Butterfield (Yorkshire) or from any of several other minor places with the same name. The name is derived from Old English butere ‘butter’ + feld ‘field’ or ‘open country’. History: Benjamin Butterfield came to Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1638. John Butterfield (1801–69) was born in Berne, NY, and founded an express company that merged with other companies to form the American Express Company (1850).
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Butterfield in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Butterfield has seen a slight decrease in popularity rankings over the decade. In 2000, it ranked 2946 in popularity but dropped to 3152 by 2010, showing a 6.99% decrease. Despite this drop in rank, the count of people with the Butterfield surname actually increased from 11,224 to 11,468, making for a 2.17% increase. However, the proportion of the Butterfield surname per 100,000 people decreased by 6.49%, indicating that while the number of Butterfields has grown, it has not kept pace with overall population growth.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,946 | #3,152 | -6.99% |
| Count | 11,224 | 11,468 | 2.17% |
| Proportion per 100k | 4.16 | 3.89 | -6.49% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Butterfield
The ethnicity associated with the Butterfield name also experienced changes over the decade according to the Decennial U.S. Census. The largest ethnic identity associated with the surname is White, though its percentage decreased slightly from 92.37% in 2000 to 90.89% in 2010. There were increases in all other ethnic identities associated with the surname. The percentage of Butterfields who identify as Hispanic saw the greatest climb, increasing by 33.96%. Similarly, those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and Two or More Races saw increases of 22.58% and 29.70% respectively. The proportion of Butterfields identifying as Black and American Indian/Alaskan Native also rose, by 7.17% and 13.10% respectively.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 92.37% | 90.89% | -1.6% |
| Black | 2.93% | 3.14% | 7.17% |
| Two or More Races | 1.65% | 2.14% | 29.7% |
| Hispanic | 1.59% | 2.13% | 33.96% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.84% | 0.95% | 13.1% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.62% | 0.76% | 22.58% |
Butterfield 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 Butterfield is British & Irish, which comprises 51.8% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (26.1%) and Scandinavian (5.3%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Spanish & Portuguese, Ashkenazi Jewish, Italian, and Nigerian.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 51.8% |
| French & German | 26.1% |
| Scandinavian | 5.3% |
| Other | 16.8% |
Possible origins of the surname Butterfield
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 Butterfield have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 87.20% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 87.20% |
| West Yorkshire, United Kingdom | 87.20% |
| Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom | 87.20% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 87.20% |
What Butterfield 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 Butterfield is R-Z11, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-Z11 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-L48 and I-Y9161, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Fincher, Oldham, Wolcott, Alley, Tolbert, Pointer, Hodges, Van Winkle, Talbert, Wolford.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Butterfield surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343
Your paternal lineage may be linked to King Louis XVI
The rule of France by men of the House of Bourbon began with King Henri IV in 1589 C.E. and continued until the beheading of his direct paternal descendant King Louis XVI in 1793. Several years ago, researchers analyzed a mummified head and a blood-soaked cloth that they believed might belong to the two kings, and concluded that the royal paternal line belonged to haplogroup G. In a more recent study, however, a different set of researchers tested three living men who are direct descendants of the Bourbon kings. Their efforts revealed that the male lineage of the House of Bourbon is actually a branch of haplogroup R-M405.
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.
What do people with the surname Butterfield 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.
"Butterfield" Surname 43.2%
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.
"Butterfield" Surname 16.7%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Butterfield" Surname 19.0%
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.
"Butterfield" Surname 21.3%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Butterfield?
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 Butterfield are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition