Explore the Family Name Christian
The meaning of Christian
1. German and French: from the personal name Christian, from Latin Christianus ‘follower of Christ’ (see Christ 1), literally ‘the Christian’. The usual French form is, however, Chrétien (see Chretien). For the cognate English name see 3 below. 2. Manx: from Mac Kristinn ‘son of Kristinn’, a borrowing of the Old Norse form of Latin Christianus ‘the Christian’. Christian is a learned, Anglicized form. 3. English (of Norman origin): from the interchangeable Middle English personal names Cristian and Cristin, used for both men and women. Cristian is from Latin Christianus (see 1 above) and its female equivalent Christiana. Cristin is from Latin Christinus and Christina, male and female diminutives of Christus ‘Christ’. They were introduced to England and Scotland by the Normans in their Old French forms, male Crestien (or the learned form Cristian) and Cristin, female Cristiane and Cristine. Cristin(e) was naturally associated with the Middle English word cristen, cristin, or criston ‘Christian’ (Old English crīsten), reinforcing the tendency to use Cristin and Cristian as alternative name forms. The male name was never common in medieval England, but the female name became increasingly popular in the 14th and 15th centuries. 4. Scottish and Manx: either from one or other of the Old French personal names in 1 above or from the Old Norse male personal name Kristinn. Compare Christie and Christison. Alternatively, the surname in southwest Scotland may have been brought there by Manxmen (see 2 above).
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Christian in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname "Christian" shifted slightly in the 2000-2010 decade. Ranked 597th in popularity in 2000, the Christian surname fell to 626th place by 2010, marking a decrease of 4.86 percent. However, the total number of people bearing this surname increased from 51,177 in 2000 to 54,198 in 2010, an increase of 5.9 percent. The proportion per 100,000 people also dipped slightly from 18.97 in 2000 to 18.37 in 2010, representing a drop of 3.16 percent.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #597 | #626 | -4.86% |
| Count | 51,177 | 54,198 | 5.9% |
| Proportion per 100k | 18.97 | 18.37 | -3.16% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Christian
The ethnic identity associated with the surname "Christian" also saw shifts between 2000 and 2010, according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. In 2000, the distribution was as follows: 69.69 percent White, 23.45 percent Black, 2.66 percent Hispanic, 1.77 percent Asian/Pacific Islander, 1.85 percent identifying as two or more races, and 0.58 percent American Indian and Alaskan Native. By 2010, there was a notable increase in the percentage of those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander (31.64 percent), Hispanic (36.09 percent), and those of two or more races (34.59 percent). The percentage of White individuals decreased by 4.71 percent, while the percentage of Black individuals rose slightly by 4.78 percent. The percentage of American Indian and Alaskan Natives remained relatively stable, with a minor increase of 1.72 percent.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 69.69% | 66.41% | -4.71% |
| Black | 23.45% | 24.57% | 4.78% |
| Hispanic | 2.66% | 3.62% | 36.09% |
| Two or More Races | 1.85% | 2.49% | 34.59% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 1.77% | 2.33% | 31.64% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.58% | 0.59% | 1.72% |
Christian 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 Christian is British & Irish, which comprises 48.6% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (22.3%) and Nigerian (4.2%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Scandinavian, Italian, Ghanaian, Liberian & Sierra Leonean, and Spanish & Portuguese.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 48.6% |
| French & German | 22.3% |
| Nigerian | 4.2% |
| Other | 24.9% |
Possible origins of the surname Christian
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 Christian have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 78.20% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 77.80% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 77.80% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 77.70% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 77.00% |
What Christian 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 Christian is R-U152, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-U152 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-MC21 and R-P311, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Pearce, Dennis, Weber, Knight, Weaver, Ott, Hawkins, Goodman, Ackerman, Miller.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Christian surname are: H1, H3, 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 Christian 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.
"Christian" Surname 39.5%
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.
"Christian" Surname 26.3%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Christian" 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.
"Christian" Surname 17.1%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Christian?
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 Christian are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition