Explore the Family Name Clegg
The meaning of Clegg
1. English (Lancashire and Yorkshire): habitational name from a place in Lancashire named Clegg, from Old Norse kleggi ‘haystack’, originally the name of a nearby hill. Alternatively, a nickname from Middle English clege and Older Scots cleg, gleg ‘gadfly, horsefly’ (Old Norse kleggi), presumably for an irritating person. The name was taken to Ulster in the early 18th century. 2. Manx: variant of Clague, which in Lancashire and Cumbria have occasionally been absorbed into Clegg.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Clegg in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname "Clegg" has seen a slight decrease in terms of rank, moving from 4244 in 2000 to 4414 in 2010, a change of -4.01%. However, the count or total number of people with this surname increased by 4.17% during the same time period, from 7723 individuals in 2000 to 8045 individuals in 2010. The proportion per 100k also decreased slightly, from 2.86 to 2.73, marking a change of -4.55%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #4,244 | #4,414 | -4.01% |
| Count | 7,723 | 8,045 | 4.17% |
| Proportion per 100k | 2.86 | 2.73 | -4.55% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Clegg
In terms of ethnic identity, the Decennial U.S. Census data indicates some shifts within the Clegg surname population over the decade. From 2000 to 2010, the percentage of those identifying as Hispanic saw the largest increase, rising by 49.67%, followed by those identifying as two or more races at a 47.42% increase. There was also an increase for those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian and Alaskan Native, with increases of 15.71% and 29.63% respectively. On the other hand, there was a slight decrease among those identifying as White, from 86.55% to 85.18%, and those identifying as Black, from 9.98% to 9.94%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 86.55% | 85.18% | -1.58% |
| Black | 9.98% | 9.94% | -0.4% |
| Hispanic | 1.53% | 2.29% | 49.67% |
| Two or More Races | 0.97% | 1.43% | 47.42% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.7% | 0.81% | 15.71% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.27% | 0.35% | 29.63% |
Clegg 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 Clegg is British & Irish, which comprises 61.0% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (21.0%) and Italian (4.2%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Scandinavian, Spanish & Portuguese, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Nigerian.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 61.0% |
| French & German | 21.0% |
| Italian | 4.2% |
| Other | 13.8% |
Possible origins of the surname Clegg
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 Clegg have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 91.50% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 91.50% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 91.50% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 91.50% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 91.50% |
What Clegg 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 Clegg is E-M183, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup E-M183 is descended from haplogroup E-M96. Other common haplogroups include R-S675 and R-CTS241, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Durden, Alaniz, Penner, Maes, Benavides, Arango, Line, Neighbors, Lines, Shumate.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Clegg surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins E-M96Your 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 Clegg 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.
"Clegg" Surname 51.5%
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.
"Clegg" Surname 32.1%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Clegg" Surname 21.1%
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.
"Clegg" Surname 19.1%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Clegg?
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 Clegg are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition