Explore the Family Name Coughlin

The meaning of Coughlin

Irish (Tipperary and Cork): shortened Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Cochláin (or Ó Cochláin) ‘son (or descendant) of Cochlán’, a byname derived from cochal ‘cloak, hood’. The Mac form is found mainly in County Offaly; the Ó form in County Cork. Some characteristic forenames: Irish Brendan, Caitlin, Conn, Conor, Delma, Eamon, Malachy, Niall, Padraic, Sean Patrick.

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

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

Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Coughlin saw a slight decrease in popularity between 2000 and 2010. Ranking 2,333rd in 2000, it dropped to 2,510th position in 2010, marking a percentage change of -7.59%. However, the actual count of individuals bearing the Coughlin surname increased by 1.46% during this period, growing from 14,226 to 14,434. The proportion per 100,000 also decreased slightly, from 5.27 to 4.89, showing a -7.21% change.

20002010Change
Rank#2,333#2,510-7.59%
Count14,22614,4341.46%
Proportion per 100k5.274.89-7.21%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Coughlin

The Decennial U.S. Census data on ethnic identity reveals some changes in the distribution of the Coughlin surname among various groups. Between 2000 and 2010, there was an increase in the percentage of Asians/Pacific Islanders, individuals identifying with two or more races, Hispanics, Blacks, and American Indian and Alaskan Natives who bear the surname. Asian/Pacific Islander representation increased by 36.73%, those identifying with two or more races grew by 33.75%, Hispanic representation rose by 53.96%, Black representation increased by 42.86%, and American Indian and Alaskan Native representation saw a spike of 66.67%. Conversely, there was a slight decline in the percentage of Whites with the Coughlin surname, with a -1.43% change noted.

20002010Change
White96.96%95.57%-1.43%
Hispanic1.39%2.14%53.96%
Two or More Races0.8%1.07%33.75%
Asian/Pacific Islander0.49%0.67%36.73%
Black0.21%0.3%42.86%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0.15%0.25%66.67%

Coughlin 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 Coughlin is British & Irish, which comprises 62.5% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (14.3%) and Eastern European (7.0%). Additional ancestries include Italian, Scandinavian, Ashkenazi Jewish, Spanish & Portuguese, and Greek & Balkan.

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ANCESTRY BREAKDOWNCOMPOSITION
British & Irish62.5%
French & German14.3%
Eastern European7.0%
Other16.3%
Coughlin

Possible origins of the surname Coughlin

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

RECENT ANCESTRY LocationPercentage
Greater London, United Kingdom87.20%
Greater Manchester, United Kingdom87.20%
Merseyside, United Kingdom87.20%
Glasgow City, United Kingdom86.90%
West Midlands, United Kingdom86.90%

What Coughlin 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 Coughlin is R-CTS241, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-CTS241 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-CTS4466 and R-L21, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Mahoney, Mccarthy, Whalen, Daly, Phelan, Fitzpatrick, Devine, Moloney, Mcmahon, Mcgowan.

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

coughlinPaternal 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 Coughlin 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

Coughlin

Chocolate Ice Cream

Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.

"Coughlin" Surname 37.6%

23andMe Users 41.3%

Traits

Coughlin

Misophonia

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

"Coughlin" Surname 24.8%

23andMe Users 27.9%

Habits

Coughlin

Sugary Drink

Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.

"Coughlin" Surname 18.5%

23andMe Users 21.1%

Wellness

Coughlin

Migraine

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

"Coughlin" Surname 15.7%

23andMe Users 16.4%

Are health conditions linked to the last name Coughlin?

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 Coughlin 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%