Explore the Family Name Dotson
The meaning of Dotson
English (Cornwall): variant of Dodson, with devoicing of the second consonant. Alternatively, the name may be a variant of Dutson, another variant of Dodson with devoicing of the second consonant before voiceless /s/.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Dotson in the United States?
The surname Dotson has seen a slight decrease in popularity according to data from the Decennial U.S. Census. In 2000, it was the 1004th most popular surname in the United States with 31,784 individuals sharing this name. This accounted for approximately 11.78 people per 100,000. By 2010, the popularity rank had dropped slightly to 1045, and the proportion per 100,000 had decreased by 4.07% to 11.3. However, count-wise, the number of individuals with the surname Dotson actually increased by 4.92% to 33,347.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,004 | #1,045 | -4.08% |
| Count | 31,784 | 33,347 | 4.92% |
| Proportion per 100k | 11.78 | 11.3 | -4.07% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Dotson
In terms of ethnic identity, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows that the majority of those with the surname Dotson identify as White, although this proportion decreased slightly from 70.32% in 2000 to 68.17% in 2010. The percentage identifying as Black saw a slight increase from 25.84% to 26.47%. There were also notable increases in the percentages of individuals identifying as two or more races (from 1.64% to 2.45%) and Hispanic (from 1.32% to 1.92%). The proportions identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian and Alaskan Native saw smaller increases.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 70.32% | 68.17% | -3.06% |
| Black | 25.84% | 26.47% | 2.44% |
| Two or More Races | 1.64% | 2.45% | 49.39% |
| Hispanic | 1.32% | 1.92% | 45.45% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.59% | 0.67% | 13.56% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.29% | 0.32% | 10.34% |
Dotson 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 Dotson is British & Irish, which comprises 54.0% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (24.2%) and Nigerian (4.6%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Ghanaian, Liberian & Sierra Leonean, Scandinavian, Spanish & Portuguese, and Angolan & Congolese.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 54.0% |
| French & German | 24.2% |
| Nigerian | 4.6% |
| Other | 17.1% |
Possible origins of the surname Dotson
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 Dotson have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 85.90% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 85.70% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 85.70% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 85.50% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 85.30% |
What Dotson 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 Dotson 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 I-S2606 and R-U152, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Dodson, Ramey, Cash, Etheridge, Granger, Allard, Stump, Buffington, Cronin, Upton.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Dotson 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 Dotson 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.
"Dotson" Surname 41.7%
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.
"Dotson" Surname 28.5%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Dotson" Surname 22.4%
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.
"Dotson" Surname 22.8%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Dotson?
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 Dotson are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition