Explore the Family Name Clapp

The meaning of Clapp

1. English (Devon and Somerset): either from Middle English clop(pe), clap(pe) ‘lump’, perhaps denoting a stocky person, or Middle English clap(pe) ‘loud noise; noisy, idle chatter’. 2. Americanized form of German Klapp. 3. In some cases also an Americanized form of Slovenian Klep: nickname from klep ‘sharpness of scythe or sickle’, also ‘sharpening with a hammer’.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Clapp in the United States?

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname "Clapp" saw a slight drop in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it ranked 3736 among all surnames in the United States; however, by 2010, it had fallen to 4088, marking a 9.42% decrease. The count of individuals with this surname also experienced a minor decline over the same period, falling from 8717 to 8689, a decrease of just 0.32%. Consequently, the proportion of the "Clapp" surname per 100,000 people decreased by 8.67%.

20002010Change
Rank#3,736#4,088-9.42%
Count8,7178,689-0.32%
Proportion per 100k3.232.95-8.67%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Clapp

In terms of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals some shifts among those bearing the Clapp surname between 2000 and 2010. There was an increase in the percentage of individuals identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander (15.09%), two or more races (54.00%), Hispanic (74.77%), and Black (5.22%). On the other hand, there was a 1.60% decrease in those identifying as White, and a significant 26.92% decrease in those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native. It's important to note that these percentages refer to changes within the group of people with the Clapp surname, not the overall U.S. population.

20002010Change
White93.39%91.9%-1.6%
Black3.45%3.63%5.22%
Hispanic1.11%1.94%74.77%
Two or More Races1%1.54%54%
Asian/Pacific Islander0.53%0.61%15.09%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0.52%0.38%-26.92%

Clapp 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 Clapp is British & Irish, which comprises 54.5% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (26.3%) and Scandinavian (3.6%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Indigenous American.

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ANCESTRY BREAKDOWNCOMPOSITION
British & Irish54.5%
French & German26.3%
Scandinavian3.6%
Other15.6%
Clapp

Possible origins of the surname Clapp

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 Clapp have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.

RECENT ANCESTRY LocationPercentage
Merseyside, United Kingdom90.20%
Greater London, United Kingdom90.20%
Glasgow City, United Kingdom89.70%
West Midlands, United Kingdom89.30%
Greater Manchester, United Kingdom89.30%

What Clapp 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 Clapp is R-Z225, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-Z225 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include E-V13 and R-L51, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Gaeta, Shockley, Plunkett, Mather, Scoggins, Ocasio, Berrios, Feliciano, Lugo, Reynoso.

The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Clapp surname are: H1, H, V. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.

clappPaternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343

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.

Maternal Haplo Image

What do people with the surname Clapp 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

Clapp

Chocolate Ice Cream

Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.

"Clapp" Surname 40.8%

23andMe Users 41.3%

Traits

Clapp

Misophonia

When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.

"Clapp" Surname 29.2%

23andMe Users 27.9%

Habits

Clapp

Sugary Drink

Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.

"Clapp" Surname 20.9%

23andMe Users 21.1%

Wellness

Clapp

Migraine

A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.

"Clapp" Surname 17.1%

23andMe Users 16.4%

Are health conditions linked to the last name Clapp?

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 Clapp are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition

Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Y402H variant

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of irreversible vision loss among older adults. The disease results in damage to the central part of the retina (the macula), impairing vision needed for reading, driving, or even recognizing faces. The 23andMe Health + Ancestry DNA test includes the two most common variants associated with an increased risk of developing the condition: the Y402H variant in the CFH gene and the A69S variant in the ARMS2 gene. Learn more about Age-Related Macular Degeneration

British & Irish 62.1%

23andMe Users 57.2%