Explore the Family Name Drennan
The meaning of Drennan
Irish (Laois and Kilkenny): Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Draighneáin ‘descendant of Draighneán’, a byname from draighneán ‘blackthorn’.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Drennan in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Drennan experienced slight shifts in popularity between 2000 and 2010. While its rank remained relatively steady, moving from 7811 in 2000 to 7821 in 2010, the count of individuals with this surname increased by approximately 7.79%, growing from 3927 to 4233 individuals. However, when looking at the proportion per 100,000 people, the presence of this surname slightly decreased by about 1.37%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #7,811 | #7,821 | -0.13% |
| Count | 3,927 | 4,233 | 7.79% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.46 | 1.44 | -1.37% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Drennan
In terms of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals some changes for those carrying the Drennan surname between 2000 and 2010. The proportion identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander increased by 50%, while those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native also saw an increase, specifically a 26.35% rise. On the other hand, the percentage of individuals identifying as Black decreased by 18.4%, and those reporting two or more ethnic identities dropped by 11.11%. Notably, the majority of individuals with this surname identify as White, although this demographic saw a slight decrease of 0.81%. Lastly, the Hispanic representation within this surname group rose by 21.83%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 93.05% | 92.3% | -0.81% |
| Hispanic | 2.52% | 3.07% | 21.83% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 1.48% | 1.87% | 26.35% |
| Two or More Races | 1.35% | 1.2% | -11.11% |
| Black | 1.25% | 1.02% | -18.4% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.36% | 0.54% | 50% |
Drennan 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 Drennan is British & Irish, which comprises 63.7% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (19.9%) and Eastern European (3.3%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, Indigenous American, and Chinese.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 63.7% |
| French & German | 19.9% |
| Eastern European | 3.3% |
| Other | 13.2% |
Possible origins of the surname Drennan
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 Drennan have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 92.70% |
| Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom | 92.70% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 92.70% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 92.70% |
| Lancashire, United Kingdom | 92.70% |
What Drennan 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 Drennan is R-P311, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-P311 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-L51 and R-CTS241, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Faircloth, Bair, Atherton, Duvall, Coley, Main, Ryan, Brantley, Packer, Dodds.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Drennan 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 Drennan 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.
"Drennan" Surname 55.1%
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.
"Drennan" Surname 25.0%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Drennan" Surname 36.1%
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.
"Drennan" Surname 20.5%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Drennan?
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 Drennan are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition