Explore the Family Name Calhoun
The meaning of Calhoun
Scottish: variant of Colquhoun. History: This prominent early American name was brought across the Atlantic Ocean by Scotch-Irish pioneers who entered Pennsylvania c.1733. The American statesman John C. Calhoun (1782–1850), born in Abbeville District, SC, served in both houses of Congress, was secretary of war, and vice president of the US (1825–32).
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Calhoun in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Calhoun decreased slightly in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In the year 2000, Calhoun was ranked as the 757th most popular surname in the United States, but by 2010 it had slipped to 803rd, marking a 6.08% decrease. Nevertheless, the actual count of individuals with the Calhoun surname increased from 41,452 in 2000 to 43,180 by 2010, indicating a growth rate of 4.17%. The proportion of people named Calhoun per 100,000 residents also saw a slight decline of 4.75%, moving from 15.37 to 14.64.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #757 | #803 | -6.08% |
| Count | 41,452 | 43,180 | 4.17% |
| Proportion per 100k | 15.37 | 14.64 | -4.75% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Calhoun
The ethnicity breakdown of individuals carrying the Calhoun surname witnessed some changes between 2000 and 2010, according to the Decennial U.S. Census. The largest ethnic group remains those of White ethnicity, albeit decreasing from 64.38% in 2000 to 61.69% in 2010. The Black community made up the second-largest group claiming the Calhoun surname, growing slightly from 31.86% in 2000 to 32.99% in 2010. Hispanic representation among those named Calhoun experienced significant growth at 71.07%, although they still make up a small portion of this surname's bearers at 2.07% in 2010. Smaller changes were seen in those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander (an increase of 26.32%) and American Indian and Alaskan Native (a rise of 10.64%), while individuals identifying with two or more races grew by 32.94% over the decade.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 64.38% | 61.69% | -4.18% |
| Black | 31.86% | 32.99% | 3.55% |
| Two or More Races | 1.7% | 2.26% | 32.94% |
| Hispanic | 1.21% | 2.07% | 71.07% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.47% | 0.52% | 10.64% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.38% | 0.48% | 26.32% |
Calhoun 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 Calhoun is British & Irish, which comprises 53.7% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (20.9%) and Nigerian (4.7%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Scandinavian, Ghanaian, Liberian & Sierra Leonean, Italian, and Spanish & Portuguese.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 53.7% |
| French & German | 20.9% |
| Nigerian | 4.7% |
| Other | 20.8% |
Possible origins of the surname Calhoun
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 Calhoun have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 84.00% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 83.90% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 83.90% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 83.50% |
| Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom | 83.20% |
What Calhoun 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 Calhoun is E-V13, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup E-V13 is descended from haplogroup E-M96. Other common haplogroups include R-M405 and R-CTS241, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Groff, Satterfield, Goodrich, Noll, Cornelius, Cass, Falls, East, Grove, Gage.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Calhoun surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins E-M96
Your paternal lineage may be linked to early Balkan migrants
Haplogroup E1b1b1a1b1a migrated in large numbers from the Balkans into Europe about 4,500 years ago, triggered by the beginning of the Balkan Bronze Age. During this migration, members of haplogroup E1b1b1a1b1a mainly followed rivers connecting the southern Balkans to northern-central Europe. Technological leaps often cause lineages to grow dramatically in numbers and in geographic range. The development of Bronze technology may have given men in haplogroup E1b1b1a1b1a a competitive advantage over other men, causing haplogroup E1b1b1a1b1a to proliferate and become widespread.
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 Calhoun 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.
"Calhoun" Surname 42.1%
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.
"Calhoun" Surname 27.9%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Calhoun" Surname 23.6%
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.
"Calhoun" Surname 18.3%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Calhoun?
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 Calhoun are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition