Explore the Family Name Durkin
The meaning of Durkin
1. Irish (Sligo and Mayo): shortened Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Duarcáin ‘son of Duarcán’, a byname representing a diminutive of duairc ‘surly’. 2. English: variant of Derkin, from the Middle English personal name Derkin, originally a borrowing from Flemish settlers of Middle Dutch Dierkin, a pet form of Diederik (ancient Germanic Theuderic, from theud ‘people’ + rīk ‘power, rule’); the name was also used as a pet form of Middle English Der(e) (Old English Dēor). Late Middle English -er- frequently changed to -ar- before another consonant and when -er- remained in early modern English, it fell together with -ir- and -ur- in a new pronunciation /ər/. Alternatively, Derkin may be a variant of Dorking, a habitational name from Dorking, Surrey, from the Old English personal name Deorc + -ingas, denoting association. 3. Russian: nickname from durka, a familiar form for durak ‘fool, idiot’, formed with the possessive suffix -in. Some characteristic forenames: Irish Brendan, Brigid, Kieran.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Durkin in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Durkin experienced a slight drop between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Durkin was ranked 4340 in terms of popularity but fell by 2.49% to 4448 in 2010. Despite this dip in rank, the actual count of individuals with the Durkin surname increased by 5.27%, from 7576 in 2000 to 7975 in 2010. The proportion of people named Durkin per 100,000 also decreased slightly by 3.91%, going from 2.81 to 2.7.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #4,340 | #4,448 | -2.49% |
| Count | 7,576 | 7,975 | 5.27% |
| Proportion per 100k | 2.81 | 2.7 | -3.91% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Durkin
In terms of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data indicates some changes from 2000 to 2010 among those with the Durkin surname. The percentage identifying as White remained the highest, though it decreased slightly from 96.42% to 95.29%. There were increases among those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander (up 14.55% to 0.63%), two or more ethnicities (up 34.94% to 1.12%), Hispanic (up 46.84% to 2.32%) and Black (up 20.59% to 0.41%). However, there was a decrease in the American Indian and Alaskan Native category, from 0.26% to 0.24%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 96.42% | 95.29% | -1.17% |
| Hispanic | 1.58% | 2.32% | 46.84% |
| Two or More Races | 0.83% | 1.12% | 34.94% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.55% | 0.63% | 14.55% |
| Black | 0.34% | 0.41% | 20.59% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.26% | 0.24% | -7.69% |
Durkin 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 Durkin is British & Irish, which comprises 66.0% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (12.3%) and Italian (6.3%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Ashkenazi Jewish, Scandinavian, Spanish & Portuguese, and Greek & Balkan.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 66.0% |
| French & German | 12.3% |
| Italian | 6.3% |
| Other | 15.4% |
Possible origins of the surname Durkin
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 Durkin have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 88.30% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 88.30% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 88.30% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 88.30% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 87.90% |
What Durkin 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 Durkin 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: Gagnon, Hershberger, Boudreau, Montemayor, Galligan, Orcutt, Shinn, Barnum, Guidry, Casto.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Durkin surname are: H1, H3, 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 Durkin 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.
"Durkin" Surname 50.7%
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.
"Durkin" Surname 23.9%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Durkin" Surname 19.4%
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.
"Durkin" Surname 11.6%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Durkin?
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 Durkin are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition