Explore the Family Name Farias

The meaning of Farias

1. Portuguese and Spanish: apparently the plural form of Faria. 2. Italian (southern): topographic name from Greek pharias, a derivative of pharos ‘beacon’, ‘lighthouse’. Some characteristic forenames: Spanish Jose, Manuel, Juan, Jesus, Carlos, Pedro, Francisco, Jorge, Roberto, Jose Luis, Luis, Raul. Portuguese Joao, Messias, Joaquim, Paulo, Serafim.

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

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

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Farias gained popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Farias ranked 2,764 in terms of its prevalence among surnames in the U.S., but by 2010 it had risen to 2,252—a notable increase of 18.52%. The actual count of people bearing the surname also grew significantly during this period. There were 11,977 individuals with the surname Farias in 2000, but by 2010 this number increased by 34.87% to 16,153. This boosted the proportion of people named Farias per 100,000 from 4.44 in 2000 to 5.48 in 2010, representing a 23.42% climb.

20002010Change
Rank#2,764#2,25218.52%
Count11,97716,15334.87%
Proportion per 100k4.445.4823.42%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Farias

The Decennial U.S. Census data reveals interesting shifts in the ethnic identity associated with the Farias surname from 2000 to 2010. The vast majority of those with the Farias surname identified as Hispanic in both years, though the percentage increased slightly from 80.08% to 82.90%. Meanwhile, a smaller portion of those with the surname identified as White, declining from 16.68% to 14.73%. Additionally, the percentage of individuals with the Farias surname who identified as Black doubled, albeit from a very small base—jumping from 0.18% to 0.38%. The proportions of those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander or as two or more races both declined, falling by 20.41% and 46.81% respectively. The proportion of those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native remained stable at 0.20%.

20002010Change
Hispanic80.08%82.9%3.52%
White16.68%14.73%-11.69%
Two or More Races1.88%1%-46.81%
Asian/Pacific Islander0.98%0.78%-20.41%
Black0.18%0.38%111.11%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0.2%0.2%0%

Farias 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 Farias is Spanish & Portuguese, which comprises 46.4% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are Indigenous American (22.9%) and British & Irish (9.5%). Additional ancestries include French & German, Italian, Southern Indian Subgroup, Eastern European, and Ashkenazi Jewish.

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ANCESTRY BREAKDOWNCOMPOSITION
Spanish & Portuguese46.4%
Indigenous American22.9%
British & Irish9.5%
Other21.2%
Farias

Possible origins of the surname Farias

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 Farias have recent ancestry locations all within Mexico.

RECENT ANCESTRY LocationPercentage
Aguascalientes, Mexico54.20%
Michoacan, Mexico54.20%
Baja California, Mexico54.20%
Zacatecas, Mexico54.20%
Veracruz, Mexico54.20%

What Farias 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 Farias is R-P311, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-P311 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include J-L26 and G-P15, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Ribeiro, Vieira, Martins, Pereira, Medeiros, Teixeira, Marques, Araujo, Mello, Hidalgo.

The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Farias surname are: A2, H, B2. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.

fariasPaternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343

Your maternal lineage may be linked to some of the first Americans

Though the Ice Age was beginning to retreat when your A2 ancestors first entered North America, there were still massive barriers blocking their way. Glaciers and inhospitable climate covered much of the continent, blocking entry into the interior. Nonetheless, researchers have found evidence that a wave of American founders migrated over 13,000 kilometers to reach southern Chile in only 2,000 years, a blink of an eye in the story of human migration! Their highway to the south was the coast of the Pacific, stocked with fish, diverse marine mammals, and other valuable resources in the rich kelp forests of the upper latitudes and in the abundant fresh-water rivers near the equator. Because of this rapid movement south, the A2 haplogroup and its diverse branches are found throughout North and South America.

Maternal Haplo Image

What do people with the surname Farias 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

Farias

Chocolate Ice Cream

Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.

"Farias" Surname 38.7%

23andMe Users 41.3%

Traits

Farias

Misophonia

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

"Farias" Surname 37.5%

23andMe Users 27.9%

Habits

Farias

Sugary Drink

Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.

"Farias" Surname 17.2%

23andMe Users 21.1%

Wellness

Farias

Migraine

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

"Farias" Surname 12.0%

23andMe Users 16.4%

Are health conditions linked to the last name Farias?

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 Farias 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

Spanish & Portuguese 56.3%

23andMe Users 57.2%