Explore the Family Name Edward
The meaning of Edward
English and Welsh: from the Middle English personal name Edward (Old English Ēadweard, from ēad ‘prosperity, fortune’ + w(e)ard ‘guard, ward’). The popularity of the personal name was largely due to its being the name of the sainted Anglo-Saxon king Edward the Confessor and of three kings in the 13th–14th centuries.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Edward in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname "Edward" saw a decrease in popularity between 2000 and 2010. The rank of the surname dropped from 6074 to 7446, representing a decline of 22.59%. In 2000, there were approximately 5207 individuals with the Edward surname, but by 2010 this count had fallen to 4473. This represents a 14.1% decrease. Moreover, the proportion of people per 100 thousand with the surname Edward also decreased from 1.93 in 2000 to 1.52 in 2010, a drop of 21.24%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #6,074 | #7,446 | -22.59% |
| Count | 5,207 | 4,473 | -14.1% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.93 | 1.52 | -21.24% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Edward
In terms of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows that the distribution of the Edward surname among various ethnic identities shifted slightly between 2000 and 2010. People of Asian/Pacific Islander ethnicity with the Edward surname increased markedly from 2.84% to 6.73%, an increase of 136.97%. Those identifying as two or more races saw a slight decrease from 2.77% to 2.35%. The percentage of Edward's belonging to the White demographic decreased by 5.52% while the Hispanic representation rose by 23.97%. The percentage of Black individuals with the Edward surname declined from 50.97% to 48.58%. Lastly, those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native saw their representation increase from 0.58% to 0.92%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 50.97% | 48.58% | -4.69% |
| White | 39.68% | 37.49% | -5.52% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 2.84% | 6.73% | 136.97% |
| Hispanic | 3.17% | 3.93% | 23.97% |
| Two or More Races | 2.77% | 2.35% | -15.16% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.58% | 0.92% | 58.62% |
Edward 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 Edward is British & Irish, which comprises 38.5% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (14.0%) and Southern Indian & Sri Lankan (7.2%). Additional ancestries include Nigerian, Eastern European, Spanish & Portuguese, Ghanaian, Liberian & Sierra Leonean, and Ashkenazi Jewish.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 38.5% |
| French & German | 14.0% |
| Southern Indian & Sri Lankan | 7.2% |
| Other | 40.3% |
Possible origins of the surname Edward
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 Edward have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 57.30% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 57.30% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 57.30% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 57.30% |
| West Yorkshire, United Kingdom | 56.20% |
What Edward 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 Edward 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-P311 and J-M304, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Gillam, Brodie, Timms, Jeffrey, Langdon, Cowen, Gaskin, Forde, Jack, Matthew.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Edward surname are: M, H1, 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 Edward 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.
"Edward" Surname 53.3%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Light Hair
Hair that is blonde or light brown in color
"Edward" Surname 54.5%
23andMe Users 50.5%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Edward" Surname 29.6%
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.
"Edward" Surname 10.4%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Edward?
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 Edward are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition