Explore the Family Name Fabian

The meaning of Fabian

1. English, German, Dutch, Spanish, Italian (Veneto), and Polish; Czech (mainly Fabián); Slovak (also Fábian, Fabián); Hungarian (Fábián): from a personal name, Latin Fabianus, a derivative of the Roman surname Fabius. The personal name achieved considerable popularity in Europe in the Middle Ages, having been borne by a 3rd-century pope and saint. Compare Faubion. 2. Americanized or Italianized form of Slovenian Fabjan or Slovenian and Croatian Fabijan: from the personal name Fab(i)jan, Latin Fabianus (see above). In North America, this surname may also be a shortened form of patronymics from this name, e.g. Slovenian Fabjančič, Croatian Fabijančić. See also Fabiani 2. 3. Jewish: adoption of the non-Jewish surname (see 1 above) under the influence of the Yiddish personal name Fayvish, ultimately related to Latin Vivus meaning ‘living’. Some characteristic forenames: Spanish Juan, Jose, Francisco, Pedro, Ana, Lourdes, Gerardo, Luis, Manuel, Mario, Ricardo, Aurelio.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Fabian in the United States?

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Fabian has increased in popularity between 2000 and 2010. Originally ranked 3034th in 2000, it moved up to the 2738th spot by 2010, reflecting a rise of approximately 10 percent. In terms of absolute numbers, the count of individuals with the Fabian surname rose from 10,951 to 13,161 within this decade - an increase of over 20 percent. This suggests a significant growth in the prevalence of this surname within the United States.

20002010Change
Rank#3,034#2,7389.76%
Count10,95113,16120.18%
Proportion per 100k4.064.469.85%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Fabian

Regarding the ethnic identity associated with the surname Fabian, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals some shifts between 2000 and 2010. The highest percentage change was observed within the Hispanic community, which saw an increase from 33.97 percent to 44.94 percent. Conversely, the White population with this surname decreased from 59.46 percent to 48.09 percent. Although smaller in numbers, it's noteworthy that the proportion of Asian/Pacific Islanders with this surname also grew by 26.33 percent. Other groups such as those identifying as Two or more races, Black, and American Indian and Alaskan Native saw decreases in their percentages.

20002010Change
White59.46%48.09%-19.12%
Hispanic33.97%44.94%32.29%
Asian/Pacific Islander3.19%4.03%26.33%
Black2.05%1.88%-8.29%
Two or More Races1.11%0.87%-21.62%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0.22%0.18%-18.18%

Fabian 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 Fabian is British & Irish, which comprises 25.5% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (22.7%) and Eastern European (16.4%). Additional ancestries include Spanish & Portuguese, Indigenous American, Italian, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Scandinavian.

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ANCESTRY BREAKDOWNCOMPOSITION
British & Irish25.5%
French & German22.7%
Eastern European16.4%
Other35.4%
Fabian

Possible origins of the surname Fabian

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 Fabian have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.

RECENT ANCESTRY LocationPercentage
Greater London, United Kingdom53.50%
Greater Manchester, United Kingdom53.50%
Lancashire, United Kingdom53.10%
Merseyside, United Kingdom53.10%
Glasgow City, United Kingdom53.10%

What Fabian 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 Fabian is Q-M3, which is predominantly found among people with East Asian & Indigenous American ancestry. Haplogroup Q-M3 is descended from haplogroup Q-M242. Other common haplogroups include R-Z156 and R-L260, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Adams, Fisher, Kramer, Fox, Smith, Green, Baumann, Freeman, Miller, Busch.

The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Fabian surname are: A2, H1, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.

fabianPaternal Haplogroup Origins Q-M242
Paternal Haplo Image

Your paternal lineage may be linked to The Ancient One

When two college students stumbled upon a human skull on the banks of the Columbia River, neither the students nor the police who responded to their 911 call could have imagined the archaeological significance of this rare discovery. The skull — along with about 300 other bone fragments found near Kennewick, Washington — belonged to a 9,000 year-old nomad who Native Americans have dubbed "The Ancient One." Based on skeletal clues, The Ancient One (also known as "Kennewick Man") likely swam, wielded a spear, and hunted coastal fauna for the greater part of his lifeInitial craniometric studies suggested he descended from ancient Japanese and Polynesian-like people and had little in common with living Native Americans. This claim — refuted by the Plateau tribes of the Pacific Northwest — became the center of a decades-long legal battle over the provenance of the remains. When The Ancient One's genome was finally sequenced in 2015, the evidence revealed he was genetically most similar to modern-day Native Americans. In fact, local tribes were found to be direct descendants of a population closely related to The Ancient One; in 2017, he finally received a proper Native American burial. This critical discovery helps illustrate a genetic continuity between ancient and modern-day Native Americans. Furthermore, his paternal line belonged to haplogroup Q-M3, the predominant lineage among Native Americans today.

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.

Maternal Haplo Image

What do people with the surname Fabian 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

Fabian

Chocolate Ice Cream

Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.

"Fabian" Surname 42.7%

23andMe Users 41.3%

Traits

Fabian

Misophonia

When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.

"Fabian" Surname 39.0%

23andMe Users 27.9%

Habits

Fabian

Sugary Drink

Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.

"Fabian" Surname 18.6%

23andMe Users 21.1%

Wellness

Fabian

Migraine

A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.

"Fabian" Surname 16.9%

23andMe Users 16.4%

Are health conditions linked to the last name Fabian?

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 Fabian are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition

Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Y402H variant

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of irreversible vision loss among older adults. The disease results in damage to the central part of the retina (the macula), impairing vision needed for reading, driving, or even recognizing faces. The 23andMe Health + Ancestry DNA test includes the two most common variants associated with an increased risk of developing the condition: the Y402H variant in the CFH gene and the A69S variant in the ARMS2 gene. Learn more about Age-Related Macular Degeneration

British & Irish 62.1%

23andMe Users 57.2%