Explore the Family Name Copeland

The meaning of Copeland

English and Scottish: habitational name from Copeland in Cumbria or Coupland in Northumberland, both named with Old Norse kaupa-land ‘bought land’, a feature worthy of note during the early Middle Ages, when land was rarely sold, but rather held by feudal tenure and handed down from one generation to the next.

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

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

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Copeland has seen a shift in its popularity over time. In 2000, Copeland was ranked as the 565th most popular surname, with 53,771 individuals bearing this name. However, by 2010, it had slipped to the 609th position despite an increase in count to 55,850. This change represents a decrease of 7.79% in rank and a growth of 3.87% in count. The proportion per 100,000 people also decreased from 19.93 in 2000 to 18.93 in 2010, marking a drop of 5.02%.

20002010Change
Rank#565#609-7.79%
Count53,77155,8503.87%
Proportion per 100k19.9318.93-5.02%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Copeland

The ethnic identity associated with the surname Copeland also saw significant changes between 2000 and 2010, according to the Decennial U.S. Census. The percentage of those identified as White decreased from 68.57% to 65.85%, while the Black ethnicity increased slightly from 27.32% to 28.28%. Those identifying as Hispanic experienced a notable increase from 1.45% to 2.31%. The Asian/Pacific Islander category also grew from 0.34% to 0.46%. Individuals identifying with two or more races increased from 1.69% to 2.39%, and those of American Indian and Alaskan Native descent rose marginally from 0.63% to 0.71%.

20002010Change
White68.57%65.85%-3.97%
Black27.32%28.28%3.51%
Two or More Races1.69%2.39%41.42%
Hispanic1.45%2.31%59.31%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0.63%0.71%12.7%
Asian/Pacific Islander0.34%0.46%35.29%

Copeland 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 Copeland is British & Irish, which comprises 56.2% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (19.6%) and Nigerian (4.1%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Ghanaian, Liberian & Sierra Leonean, Scandinavian, Italian, and Ashkenazi Jewish.

Ready to learn more about your ancestry? Get the most comprehensive ancestry breakdown on the market by taking our DNA test. Shop 23andMe

ANCESTRY BREAKDOWNCOMPOSITION
British & Irish56.2%
French & German19.6%
Nigerian4.1%
Other20.1%
Copeland

Possible origins of the surname Copeland

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 Copeland have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

RECENT ANCESTRY LocationPercentage
Greater Manchester, United Kingdom83.20%
Greater London, United Kingdom83.20%
Glasgow City, United Kingdom83.00%
West Midlands, United Kingdom82.90%
Merseyside, United Kingdom82.80%

What Copeland 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 Copeland is R-Z282, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-Z282 is descended from haplogroup R-M420. Other common haplogroups include R-L2 and R-M405, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Carpenter, Worrell, Lea, Garnett, Cochrane, Button, Cory, Klug, Sikes, Johns.

The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Copeland surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.

copelandPaternal Haplogroup Origins R-M420

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 Copeland 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

Copeland

Chocolate Ice Cream

Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.

"Copeland" Surname 41.6%

23andMe Users 41.3%

Traits

Copeland

Misophonia

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

"Copeland" Surname 28.5%

23andMe Users 27.9%

Habits

Copeland

Sugary Drink

Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.

"Copeland" Surname 21.5%

23andMe Users 21.1%

Wellness

Copeland

Migraine

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

"Copeland" Surname 20.2%

23andMe Users 16.4%

Are health conditions linked to the last name Copeland?

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 Copeland 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%