Explore the Family Name Eden
The meaning of Eden
1. English: from the Middle English personal name Edun, Old English Ēadhūn, composed of the elements ēad ‘prosperity, wealth’ + hūn ‘bear-cub’. 2. English: habitational name from Castle Eden or Eden Burn in County Durham, both of which derive from a British river name meaning ‘water’, recorded by the Greek geographer Ptolemy in the 2nd century in the form Ituna. 3. East Frisian, North German, and Dutch (Groningen): genitivized patronymic from the personal name Ede or Edo. 4. German: habitational name from any of several places, mainly in Bavaria and Austria, so named from Middle High German œde ‘wasteland’ + the dative suffix -n. 5. Dutch: variant, without the preposition van ‘from’, of Van Eden. History: In England, a family of the name Eden have held lands at Windleston Hall, by Eden Burn (Durham), since at least the 15th century. Sir Anthony Eden, Prime Minister of Great Britain 1955–7, was a member of this family. Charles Eden (1673–1722), colonial governor of NC under the lords proprietors from 1714 onward, used the armorial bearings of the family of Eden of the county palatine of Durham in the north of England. A member of the same family was Sir Robert Eden (1741–84), last royal governor of MD.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Eden in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Eden saw a slight decrease in rank in the United States between 2000 and 2010, moving from rank 4597 to 4736, a change of -3.02%. However, the actual count of individuals with this surname increased by 6.05% during the same period, growing from 7062 to 7489. As a proportion per 100k people, the Eden surname went from 2.62 to 2.54, indicating a slight decrease of -3.05%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #4,597 | #4,736 | -3.02% |
| Count | 7,062 | 7,489 | 6.05% |
| Proportion per 100k | 2.62 | 2.54 | -3.05% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Eden
With respect to ethnic identity, the Decennial U.S. Census data provides a comprehensive breakdown for the surname Eden. Between 2000 and 2010, there was a significant increase in those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander (48.24%) and Hispanic (31.39%), as well as those who identify with two or more races (32%). On the other hand, there was a slight decrease in those identifying as White (-3.04%). Additionally, there was a modest increase in the percentage of individuals identifying as Black (9.56%) and American Indian and Alaskan Native (25.88%).
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 88.39% | 85.7% | -3.04% |
| Black | 4.81% | 5.27% | 9.56% |
| Hispanic | 3.6% | 4.73% | 31.39% |
| Two or More Races | 1.5% | 1.98% | 32% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.85% | 1.26% | 48.24% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.85% | 1.07% | 25.88% |
Eden 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 Eden is British & Irish, which comprises 47.1% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (21.2%) and Ashkenazi Jewish (9.3%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Scandinavian, Spanish & Portuguese, Italian, and Chinese.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 47.1% |
| French & German | 21.2% |
| Ashkenazi Jewish | 9.3% |
| Other | 22.3% |
Possible origins of the surname Eden
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 Eden have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 81.10% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 81.10% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 80.70% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 80.20% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 79.80% |
What Eden 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 Eden is E-L618, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup E-L618 is descended from haplogroup E-M96. Other common haplogroups include R-CTS241 and R-M467, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Read, Curtis, Grey, Rose, Lynn, Edwards, Porter, Holloway, Linn, Green.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Eden surname are: H1, K1a, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins E-M96Your 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 Eden 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.
"Eden" Surname 43.7%
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.
"Eden" Surname 20.0%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Eden" Surname 20.6%
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.
"Eden" Surname 21.5%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Eden?
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 Eden are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition