Explore the Family Name Comer
The meaning of Comer
1. English: occupational name from Middle English combere, an agent derivative of Old English camb ‘comb’, referring perhaps to a maker or seller of combs, or to someone who used them to prepare wool or flax for spinning. This was an alternative process to carding, and caused the wool fibers to lie more or less parallel to one another, so that the cloth produced had a hard, smooth finish without a nap. 2. Probably an Americanized form of German or Dutch Kommer or Kammer.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Comer in the United States?
Based on the data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Comer saw a slight increase in total count from 2000 to 2010, growing from 16,619 to 16,893. Despite this growth in raw numbers, its rank among other surnames fell from 2,001 in 2000 to 2,148 in 2010, indicating that it became less common relative to other surnames. The proportion of the U.S. population with this surname also decreased from 6.16 per 100,000 people in 2000 to 5.73 per 100,000 people in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,001 | #2,148 | -7.35% |
| Count | 16,619 | 16,893 | 1.65% |
| Proportion per 100k | 6.16 | 5.73 | -6.98% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Comer
Examining the ethnicity associated with the surname Comer in the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals some shifts between 2000 and 2010. The largest group, those identifying as White, decreased slightly from 84.25% to 82.57%. There were increases seen among those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander (from 0.45% to 0.47%), Black (from 12.03% to 12.47%), Hispanic (from 1.47% to 2.10%), and American Indian and Alaskan Native (from 0.49% to 0.67%). Notably, those identifying with two or more races saw significant growth from 1.30% to 1.72%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 84.25% | 82.57% | -1.99% |
| Black | 12.03% | 12.47% | 3.66% |
| Hispanic | 1.47% | 2.1% | 42.86% |
| Two or More Races | 1.3% | 1.72% | 32.31% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.49% | 0.67% | 36.73% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.45% | 0.47% | 4.44% |
Comer 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 Comer is British & Irish, which comprises 54.8% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (22.3%) and Scandinavian (3.6%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Spanish & Portuguese, Italian, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Nigerian.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 54.8% |
| French & German | 22.3% |
| Scandinavian | 3.6% |
| Other | 19.2% |
Possible origins of the surname Comer
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 Comer have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 84.60% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 84.60% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 84.30% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 84.30% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 84.00% |
What Comer 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 Comer is R-L2, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-L2 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-DF88 and I-CTS10148, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Granger, Langley, Zinn, Craig, Hudson, Robert, Carver, Pollard, Deal, Foss.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Comer surname are: H1, T2b, 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 Comer 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.
"Comer" Surname 38.3%
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.
"Comer" Surname 24.7%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Comer" Surname 22.1%
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.
"Comer" Surname 18.0%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Comer?
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 Comer are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition