Explore the Family Name Ehlers
The meaning of Ehlers
North German: patronymic from Ehler or Ehlert.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Ehlers in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Ehlers has seen a slight change over the decade from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, Ehlers was ranked 4405th in terms of commonality but slid to 4714th in 2010, indicating a decrease of about 7.01%. However, the overall count of people bearing this surname increased by 1.1% over the same period, going from 7442 to 7524. The proportion of people named Ehlers per 100k also declined slightly from 2.76 to 2.55, representing a 7.61% decrease.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #4,405 | #4,714 | -7.01% |
| Count | 7,442 | 7,524 | 1.1% |
| Proportion per 100k | 2.76 | 2.55 | -7.61% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Ehlers
The ethnic identity associated with the surname Ehlers has varied somewhat over time. According to the Decennial U.S. Census, the majority of individuals with this last name identify as White, though the percentage decreased slightly from 96.65% in 2000 to 95.31% in 2010. The second most common ethnicity associated with this surname is Hispanic, which increased from 1.56% in 2000 to 2.29% in 2010. Other ethnicities such as Black and Asian/Pacific Islander saw significant increases over the decade, with the Black population increasing by 80.77% and the Asian/Pacific Islander population by 44.19%. The number of individuals identifying as Two or more races and American Indian and Alaskan Native also grew, by 12.79% and 45.83%, respectively.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 96.65% | 95.31% | -1.39% |
| Hispanic | 1.56% | 2.29% | 46.79% |
| Two or More Races | 0.86% | 0.97% | 12.79% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.43% | 0.62% | 44.19% |
| Black | 0.26% | 0.47% | 80.77% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.24% | 0.35% | 45.83% |
Ehlers 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 Ehlers is French & German, which comprises 39.1% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (33.3%) and Scandinavian (7.8%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Indigenous American.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| French & German | 39.1% |
| British & Irish | 33.3% |
| Scandinavian | 7.8% |
| Other | 19.9% |
Possible origins of the surname Ehlers
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 Ehlers have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 78.90% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 78.90% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 78.90% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 78.90% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 77.90% |
What Ehlers 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 Ehlers is R-M405, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-M405 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include G-PF4202 and I-Z58, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Mulder, Ahrens, Christiansen, Brinkman, Pedersen, Lorenz, Lange, Petersen, Jessen, Heath.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Ehlers surname are: H1, J1c, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343
Your paternal lineage may be linked to King Louis XVI
The rule of France by men of the House of Bourbon began with King Henri IV in 1589 C.E. and continued until the beheading of his direct paternal descendant King Louis XVI in 1793. Several years ago, researchers analyzed a mummified head and a blood-soaked cloth that they believed might belong to the two kings, and concluded that the royal paternal line belonged to haplogroup G. In a more recent study, however, a different set of researchers tested three living men who are direct descendants of the Bourbon kings. Their efforts revealed that the male lineage of the House of Bourbon is actually a branch of haplogroup R-M405.
Your 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 Ehlers 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.
"Ehlers" Surname 33.3%
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.
"Ehlers" Surname 17.5%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Ehlers" Surname 14.4%
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.
"Ehlers" Surname 14.7%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Ehlers?
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 Ehlers are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition