Explore the Family Name Evans
The meaning of Evans
Welsh: derivative of Evan, from Efan, Ifan, medieval forms of Ieuan (from Latin Johannes, the source of English John), dating from c.1500, with the post-medieval patronymic suffix -s. Welsh Sion was a separate borrowing of English John, and Evan (Ieuan) and Sion developed as independent names.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Evans in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Evans experienced a slight decrease between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Evans ranked as the 48th most popular surname, but dropped to the 53rd position in 2010, a decline of approximately 10.42%. Despite this drop in ranking, the actual count of individuals with the surname Evans increased by 3.9% from 342,237 in 2000 to 355,593 in 2010. Although more people carried the Evans surname in 2010, its proportion per 100,000 people decreased by 4.98% over the decade.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #48 | #53 | -10.42% |
| Count | 342,237 | 355,593 | 3.9% |
| Proportion per 100k | 126.87 | 120.55 | -4.98% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Evans
In terms of ethnic identity, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows some changes for the Evans surname between 2000 and 2010. The percentage of Evans identified as White decreased slightly from 70.65% in 2000 to 68.39% in 2010. Meanwhile, the proportion identifying as Black saw a minor increase of 2.67%, reaching 25.72% in 2010. Those identifying as Hispanic experienced a significant increase in representation by 54.19%, although still making up only 2.39% of all Evans in 2010. The proportion of Evans identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian and Alaskan Native also saw increases, though they remained small fractions of the total. Individuals identifying as two or more races under the Evans surname also rose, seeing a 37.72% increase over the decade.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 70.65% | 68.39% | -3.2% |
| Black | 25.05% | 25.72% | 2.67% |
| Hispanic | 1.55% | 2.39% | 54.19% |
| Two or More Races | 1.67% | 2.3% | 37.72% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.68% | 0.74% | 8.82% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.4% | 0.47% | 17.5% |
Evans 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 Evans is British & Irish, which comprises 53.8% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (20.5%) and Eastern European (4.0%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Nigerian, Italian, Ghanaian, Liberian & Sierra Leonean, and Spanish & Portuguese.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 53.8% |
| French & German | 20.5% |
| Eastern European | 4.0% |
| Other | 21.7% |
Possible origins of the surname Evans
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 Evans have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 84.20% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 84.10% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 84.10% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 84.00% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 84.00% |
What Evans 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 Evans 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-L21 and R-P311, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Thomas, Lewis, Jones, Phillips, Davis, Morgan, Morris, James, Price, Richards.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Evans surname are: H1, T2b, 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 Evans 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.
"Evans" Surname 40.2%
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.
"Evans" Surname 28.3%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Evans" Surname 21.0%
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.
"Evans" Surname 18.5%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Evans?
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 Evans are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition