Explore the Family Name Caulfield
The meaning of Caulfield
1. Scottish and Irish (Mayo and Galway): habitational name from Cauldfield near Langholm in Dumfriesshire, named with Old English cald ‘cold’ + feld ‘open country’. This surname is also common in Ireland. 2. Irish: Anglicized form of at least three Irish surnames: Mac Cathmhaoil (see Cowell), an important family in East Tyrone (who also adopted Campbell), Ó Gamhna (see Gaffney), and Ó Gamhnáin (see Goonan). History: Sir Toby Caulfield (born 1565 in Milton, Oxfordshire) was granted most of the church lands of Ulster c.1610. The townland of Castlecaulfield (Tyrone) was re-named after the castle he built there between 1611 and 1619. Some families with this surname (see 1 above) in Ireland descend directly from him. Some characteristic forenames: Irish Briana, Eamonn, Liam.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Caulfield in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Caulfield saw a slight decline in popularity between 2000 and 2010. The rank fell from 8,393 in 2000 to 8,617 in 2010, indicating a change of -2.67%. However, the count of individuals with this surname rose by 5.47% during the same period, increasing from 3,620 to 3,818. This suggests that while the name became less common in relation to other surnames, the actual number of people named Caulfield grew. Despite this growth, the proportion of people named Caulfield per 100,000 decreased by -3.73%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #8,393 | #8,617 | -2.67% |
| Count | 3,620 | 3,818 | 5.47% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.34 | 1.29 | -3.73% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Caulfield
The Decennial U.S. Census data also provides insights regarding the ethnic identity associated with the surname Caulfield. In 2010, the largest ethnicity identified was White, accounting for 94.21%, a decrease of -1.03% from 2000. Those identifying as Hispanic saw the most significant increase, rising by 87.25% to account for 1.91% of individuals with the Caulfield surname. However, those identifying as Black saw a decline, accounting for 1.52% in 2010 compared to 1.93% in 2000. Meanwhile, those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native saw the highest percentage change, increasing by a staggering 105.26% to make up 0.39% of the total in 2010. Asian/Pacific Islanders and those identifying with two or more races saw changes of -4.55% and 27.05% respectively.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 95.19% | 94.21% | -1.03% |
| Hispanic | 1.02% | 1.91% | 87.25% |
| Two or More Races | 1.22% | 1.55% | 27.05% |
| Black | 1.93% | 1.52% | -21.24% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.44% | 0.42% | -4.55% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.19% | 0.39% | 105.26% |
Caulfield 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 Caulfield is British & Irish, which comprises 65.4% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (13.8%) and Italian (7.0%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Scandinavian, Spanish & Portuguese, Indigenous American, and Ashkenazi Jewish.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 65.4% |
| French & German | 13.8% |
| Italian | 7.0% |
| Other | 13.8% |
Possible origins of the surname Caulfield
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 Caulfield have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 91.10% |
| West Yorkshire, United Kingdom | 91.10% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 91.10% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 91.10% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 90.30% |
What Caulfield 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 Caulfield is R-CTS241, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-CTS241 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-S660 and R-L21, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Mcguinness, Mcardle, Finnegan, Mcquade, Mcnally, Naughton, Heaney, Gallaher, O'Toole, Mckeever.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Caulfield surname are: H1, H, V. 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 Caulfield 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.
"Caulfield" Surname 40.9%
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.
"Caulfield" Surname 22.9%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Caulfield" Surname 25.6%
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.
"Caulfield" Surname 14.4%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Caulfield?
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 Caulfield are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition