Explore the Family Name Faith
The meaning of Faith
English (most frequent in northern Ireland): from Middle English fe(i)th ‘belief (especially Christian belief), faithfulness, loyalty’. This may have been a nickname for a trustworthy person, but was more probably bestowed on one who used ‘Faith!’ frequently as a mild oath or exclamation.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Faith in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname 'Faith' showed a modest increase in popularity between 2000 and 2010, climbing from rank 8386 to 8323. The number of individuals with this last name also rose by about 9.85%, from 3,624 in 2000 to 3,981 in 2010. In terms of representation per 100,000 people, the proportion increased slightly by 0.75%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #8,386 | #8,323 | 0.75% |
| Count | 3,624 | 3,981 | 9.85% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.34 | 1.35 | 0.75% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Faith
The Decennial U.S. Census data also provides insights into the ethnic identity associated with the surname 'Faith'. In 2010, the majority of individuals identified as White, although this group experienced a small decrease from 94.48% in 2000 to 91.96% in 2010. The Hispanic population with this surname saw an impressive growth rate of 88.71% over the decade, increasing their representation from 1.24% to 2.34%. The Black community also expanded, witnessing a 41.72% rise from 1.63% to 2.31%. The Asian/Pacific Islander group grew by 60% although it remained a small fraction of the total. Those identifying as two or more races increased by 33.33%, and the American Indian and Alaskan Native group saw a slight decrease by 2.60%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 94.48% | 91.96% | -2.67% |
| Hispanic | 1.24% | 2.34% | 88.71% |
| Black | 1.63% | 2.31% | 41.72% |
| Two or More Races | 1.32% | 1.76% | 33.33% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.55% | 0.88% | 60% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.77% | 0.75% | -2.6% |
Faith 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 Faith is British & Irish, which comprises 50.5% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (27.7%) and Eastern European (5.6%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Italian, Indigenous American, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Spanish & Portuguese.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 50.5% |
| French & German | 27.7% |
| Eastern European | 5.6% |
| Other | 16.2% |
Possible origins of the surname Faith
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 Faith have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 87.80% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 87.80% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 87.80% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 87.10% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 87.10% |
What Faith 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 Faith is R-FGC11293, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-FGC11293 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include I-CTS616 and I-DF29, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Houston, Archibald, Bloomfield, Marshall, Patten, Spears, Harden, Pratt, Clifford, Waters.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Faith 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 Faith 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.
"Faith" Surname 39.0%
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.
"Faith" Surname 30.0%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Faith" Surname 19.6%
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.
"Faith" Surname 15.8%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Faith?
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 Faith are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition