Explore the Family Name Elwood
The meaning of Elwood
English: from the Middle English personal name Elwald, Elwold, Alwold (Old English Ælfweald, ælf ‘elf’ + weald ‘rule’). The surname is now rare in Scotland, but was once quite common in the Scottish borders where it was altered to Elliott and Ellett. The different surnames may have co-existed and become confused with one other.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Elwood in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Elwood's popularity has seen a slight decrease between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, the surname ranked 6423 in terms of prevalence, but by 2010 it had slipped to the 6744th spot, marking a 5% decline. However, the number of people carrying the Elwood surname increased by about 2.44% during the same period, with the count rising from 4881 to approximately 5000. Despite this increase, the proportion per 100,000 individuals fell by 6.08%, from 1.81 to 1.7.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #6,423 | #6,744 | -5% |
| Count | 4,881 | 5,000 | 2.44% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.81 | 1.7 | -6.08% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Elwood
In terms of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data indicates that there have been shifts in the ethnic identity associated with the Elwood surname between 2000 and 2010. The most common ethnicity continues to be White, though it saw a slight decrease from 93.92% to 92.10%. The percentage of those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander rose significantly by 74.36%, albeit from a small base, increasing from 0.39% to 0.68%. Similarly, the Hispanic population grew by 51.06%, moving from 1.88% to 2.84%. Meanwhile, the percentage of Elwoods identifying as Black decreased slightly from 1.82% to 1.74%, and the proportion of those claiming two or more races saw an increase from 1.07% to 1.50%. Lastly, the percentage of American Indian and Alaskan Native Elwoods showed a modest growth, moving from 0.92% to 1.14%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 93.92% | 92.1% | -1.94% |
| Hispanic | 1.88% | 2.84% | 51.06% |
| Black | 1.82% | 1.74% | -4.4% |
| Two or More Races | 1.07% | 1.5% | 40.19% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.92% | 1.14% | 23.91% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.39% | 0.68% | 74.36% |
Elwood 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 Elwood is British & Irish, which comprises 52.6% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (24.6%) and Scandinavian (6.4%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Spanish & Portuguese, Italian, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Greek & Balkan.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 52.6% |
| French & German | 24.6% |
| Scandinavian | 6.4% |
| Other | 16.3% |
Possible origins of the surname Elwood
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 Elwood have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 88.40% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 88.40% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 87.60% |
| West Yorkshire, United Kingdom | 87.60% |
| Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom | 87.60% |
What Elwood 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 Elwood is R-L2, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-L2 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-BY451 and I-DF29, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Hudson, Elliott, Skinner, Craig, Robert, Foss, Kuhn, Langley, Carver, Rust.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Elwood surname are: H1, J1c, 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 Elwood 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.
"Elwood" Surname 34.0%
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.
"Elwood" Surname 17.1%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Elwood" Surname 17.2%
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.
"Elwood" Surname 15.5%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Elwood?
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 Elwood are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition