Explore the Family Name Clyde

The meaning of Clyde

Scottish: apparently a topographic name for someone who lived on the banks of the Clyde river (Gaelic Cluaidh, probably of pre-Celtic origin), which flows through Glasgow.

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

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

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Clyde has seen a slight decrease in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Clyde ranked 8794 among all surnames in terms of popularity, with a count of 3432 individuals bearing the name. By 2010, the rank had marginally decreased to 8950, even though the actual number of people named Clyde increased to 3658. This could imply that while more people took on the surname Clyde over the decade, it didn't gain as much popularity in comparison to other surnames.

20002010Change
Rank#8,794#8,950-1.77%
Count3,4323,6586.59%
Proportion per 100k1.271.24-2.36%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Clyde

In terms of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals interesting trends for the surname Clyde from 2000 to 2010. The percentage of individuals with the surname Clyde identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander almost doubled, increasing from 0.50% to 0.96%. The proportion of those identifying as two or more races also saw an increase from 1.43% to 1.69%. On the other hand, the proportion of white individuals with the surname Clyde decreased slightly from 77.68% down to 74.88%. The Hispanic population using the surname Clyde experienced a significant increase from 1.75% to 2.54%, whereas the Black population saw a modest increase from 14.28% to 15.83%. However, the American Indian and Alaskan Native populations under the Clyde surname saw a small decline from 4.37% to 4.10%.

20002010Change
White77.68%74.88%-3.6%
Black14.28%15.83%10.85%
American Indian and Alaskan Native4.37%4.1%-6.18%
Hispanic1.75%2.54%45.14%
Two or More Races1.43%1.69%18.18%
Asian/Pacific Islander0.5%0.96%92%

Clyde 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 Clyde is British & Irish, which comprises 55.0% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (25.9%) and Scandinavian (5.5%). Additional ancestries include Italian, Indigenous American, Spanish & Portuguese, Eastern European, and Ashkenazi Jewish.

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ANCESTRY BREAKDOWNCOMPOSITION
British & Irish55.0%
French & German25.9%
Scandinavian5.5%
Other13.6%
Clyde

Possible origins of the surname Clyde

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

RECENT ANCESTRY LocationPercentage
Greater Manchester, United Kingdom93.10%
Merseyside, United Kingdom93.10%
Greater London, United Kingdom93.10%
Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom92.00%
Lancashire, United Kingdom92.00%

What Clyde 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 Clyde is R-P311, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-P311 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-CTS241 and R-L51, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Winn, Chamberlain, Sexton, Alford, Plummer, Main, Eddy, Qualls, Lyle, Gregoire.

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

clydePaternal 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 Clyde 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

Clyde

Chocolate Ice Cream

Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.

"Clyde" Surname 39.1%

23andMe Users 41.3%

Traits

Clyde

Misophonia

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

"Clyde" Surname 30.3%

23andMe Users 27.9%

Habits

Clyde

Sugary Drink

Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.

"Clyde" Surname 26.3%

23andMe Users 21.1%

Wellness

Clyde

Migraine

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

"Clyde" Surname 23.0%

23andMe Users 16.4%

Are health conditions linked to the last name Clyde?

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 Clyde 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%