Explore the Family Name Fain
The meaning of Fain
1. Jewish (Ashkenazic): variant of Fein. 2. English: variant of Fayne. 3. Possibly also French: habitational name from any of various places in France, deriving their names from Old French fain ‘swamp’ or, in some cases, Latin fanum ‘temple’.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Fain in the United States?
According to the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Fain experienced a slight dip in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it ranked 4177th in terms of commonness among surnames in the U.S., but by 2010, it had slipped slightly to 4379th, indicating a decrease of 4.84%. However, the total count of individuals with the surname increased from 7865 in 2000 to 8122 in 2010, a growth of 3.27%. The proportion per 100,000 people decreased from 2.92 to 2.75 during this period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #4,177 | #4,379 | -4.84% |
| Count | 7,865 | 8,122 | 3.27% |
| Proportion per 100k | 2.92 | 2.75 | -5.82% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Fain
In terms of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals that the majority of people with the surname Fain identified as White in both 2000 and 2010, although there was a small decrease of 1.24% over the decade. The second largest ethnic group within this surname was Black, with a slight decline of 2.91% over the same period. Interestingly, those who identify as Hispanic saw a significant increase of 62.50%, although their overall proportion remained relatively small. Those identifying as Two or More Races also increased by 22.16%, while Asian/Pacific Islander saw a subtle increase of 4.48%. American Indian and Alaskan Native representation remained steady at 0.81% in both years.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 82.86% | 81.83% | -1.24% |
| Black | 12.38% | 12.02% | -2.91% |
| Hispanic | 1.6% | 2.6% | 62.5% |
| Two or More Races | 1.67% | 2.04% | 22.16% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.81% | 0.81% | 0% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.67% | 0.7% | 4.48% |
Fain 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 Fain is British & Irish, which comprises 57.2% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (17.7%) and Ashkenazi Jewish (6.1%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Spanish & Portuguese, Scandinavian, Italian, and Indigenous American.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 57.2% |
| French & German | 17.7% |
| Ashkenazi Jewish | 6.1% |
| Other | 19.0% |
Possible origins of the surname Fain
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 Fain have recent ancestry locations in United Kingdom and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 85.20% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 85.20% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 85.20% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 85.20% |
| West Yorkshire, United Kingdom | 84.70% |
What Fain 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 Fain is R-Z16539, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-Z16539 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-CTS241 and I-Z58, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Heaton, Belt, Muldoon, Crain, Jennings, Spann, Colvin, Downs, Dodd, Ellison.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Fain 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 Fain 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.
"Fain" Surname 38.3%
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.
"Fain" Surname 24.5%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Fain" Surname 20.0%
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.
"Fain" Surname 21.8%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Fain?
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 Fain are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition