Explore the Family Name Dempsey
The meaning of Dempsey
Irish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Díomasaigh ‘descendant of Díomasach’, a byname meaning ‘proud, haughty’, from díomas ‘pride’. The name was occasionally Anglicized as Proudman (see Proud). Compare McGimsey.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Dempsey in the United States?
According to the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Dempsey saw a slight decrease in popularity from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, it was ranked 1215th most common surname, while in 2010, it slipped to the 1308th spot, showing a 7.65% decrease. However, the count of individuals with this surname increased slightly by 1.74% from 26,403 to 26,863 during the same period. The proportion per 100k also dipped by 6.95%, indicating that while the surname's frequency increased, its relative popularity decreased.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,215 | #1,308 | -7.65% |
| Count | 26,403 | 26,863 | 1.74% |
| Proportion per 100k | 9.79 | 9.11 | -6.95% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Dempsey
When examining the ethnic identity associated with the surname Dempsey, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows interesting trends. From 2000 to 2010, the largest growth was seen in Hispanic and Asian/Pacific Islander demographics, which increased by 58.28% and 34.09% respectively. The representation of those identifying as two or more races also rose by 35.48%. Meanwhile, the percentage of individuals with this surname who identify as White decreased by 1.94%, though it remained the dominant ethnicity at 88.86% in 2010. Black and American Indian/Alaskan Native identities saw minor increases of 3.7% and 11.39% respectively.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 90.62% | 88.86% | -1.94% |
| Black | 5.4% | 5.6% | 3.7% |
| Hispanic | 1.51% | 2.39% | 58.28% |
| Two or More Races | 1.24% | 1.68% | 35.48% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.79% | 0.88% | 11.39% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.44% | 0.59% | 34.09% |
Dempsey 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 Dempsey is British & Irish, which comprises 58.7% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (18.6%) and Eastern European (5.1%). Additional ancestries include Italian, Scandinavian, Spanish & Portuguese, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Indigenous American.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 58.7% |
| French & German | 18.6% |
| Eastern European | 5.1% |
| Other | 17.6% |
Possible origins of the surname Dempsey
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 Dempsey have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 88.50% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 88.50% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 88.30% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 88.30% |
| West Yorkshire, United Kingdom | 88.20% |
What Dempsey 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 Dempsey 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-L21 and I-Y4751, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Mccarty, Hughes, Cameron, Mccarthy, Walsh, Mcmahon, Sherman, Howe, Mcginnis, Daley.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Dempsey 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 Dempsey 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.
"Dempsey" Surname 38.7%
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.
"Dempsey" Surname 27.0%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Dempsey" Surname 19.9%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Cat Allergy
An allergic reaction to cats, characterized by symptoms such as sneezing, itching, and difficulty breathing.
"Dempsey" Surname 34.3%
23andMe Users 36.7%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Dempsey?
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 Dempsey are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition