Explore the Family Name Dana
The meaning of Dana
1. Probably an altered form of English Dawney or Dawnay (see Dawn), cognates of French Daunay (see Donais). 2. Czech and Slovak (Daňa); Polish and Hungarian: from a short form of the personal name Daniel (Hungarian Dániel), or perhaps from a short form of any of various Slavic compound personal names formed with the element dan ‘given’, for example Czech Danomír and Bohdan, Polish Bogdan. 3. Albanian: nickname or metonymic occupational name from danë (definite form dana) ‘pincers’. History: Richard Dana came from England in 1640 to Cambridge, MA, where he died in 1690. He had many prominent descendants, the most famous of whom was Richard Henry Dana (1815–82), author of Two Years before the Mast. A lawyer by profession as well as a writer and traveler, he supported the rights of fugitive slaves before and during the Civil War.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Dana in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname "Dana" showed a slight decline in rank between 2000 and 2010, moving from rank 5939 to 6008, indicating a -1.16% change. However, the count of people with the last name Dana increased by 7.27%, growing from 5,335 in 2000 to 5,723 in 2010. The proportion per 100k also experienced a decline of -2.02%, slipping from 1.98 to 1.94.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #5,939 | #6,008 | -1.16% |
| Count | 5,335 | 5,723 | 7.27% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.98 | 1.94 | -2.02% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Dana
When it comes to ethnic identity, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals a shift in the distribution among those with the surname Dana from 2000 to 2010. There was an increase in the percentage of Asian/Pacific Islander, Hispanic, Black, and American Indian and Alaskan Native identities, with changes of 23.96%, 22.38%, 26.35%, and 6.90% respectively. The largest ethnic group, White, saw a decrease of -3.54%, reducing from 82.55% to 79.63%. Additionally, those identifying with two or more races also decreased by -10.42%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 82.55% | 79.63% | -3.54% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 6.47% | 8.02% | 23.96% |
| Hispanic | 4.78% | 5.85% | 22.38% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 2.32% | 2.48% | 6.9% |
| Two or More Races | 2.4% | 2.15% | -10.42% |
| Black | 1.48% | 1.87% | 26.35% |
Dana 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 Dana is British & Irish, which comprises 42.3% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (21.0%) and Ashkenazi Jewish (6.6%). Additional ancestries include Italian, Iranian, Caucasian & Mesopotamian, Scandinavian, Eastern European, and Spanish & Portuguese.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 42.3% |
| French & German | 21.0% |
| Ashkenazi Jewish | 6.6% |
| Other | 30.1% |
Possible origins of the surname Dana
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 Dana have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 73.90% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 73.90% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 73.30% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 72.70% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 72.70% |
What Dana 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 Dana is R-L21, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-L21 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include IJ-M429 and R-CTS241, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Broome, Mcfarland, Jacks, Bowser, Rossiter, Calder, Mathewson, Broom, Thayer, Tupper.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Dana surname are: H1, H, V. 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 Dana 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.
"Dana" Surname 49.2%
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.
"Dana" Surname 25.5%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Dana" Surname 15.3%
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.
"Dana" Surname 16.3%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Dana?
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 Dana are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition