Explore the Family Name Farquhar

The meaning of Farquhar

Scottish (Aberdeenshire, Caithness, and Glasgow) and northern Irish (Armagh and Antrim): from an Anglicized form of the Gaelic personal name Fearchar, from fear ‘man’ + car ‘loving, beloved’, or a shortened Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Fhearchair.

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

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

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Farquhar has seen a slight drop in popularity from the year 2000 to 2010. In 2000, it was ranked at 10,956 and by 2010, it had fallen slightly to 11,584, marking a decline of 5.73%. However, the count of people with this surname increased marginally from 2,664 to 2,714 during the same period, an increase of 1.88%. The proportion per 100k also fell by 7.07% from 0.99 to 0.92.

20002010Change
Rank#10,956#11,584-5.73%
Count2,6642,7141.88%
Proportion per 100k0.990.92-7.07%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Farquhar

Discussing the ethnic identity associated with the surname Farquhar, data from the Decennial U.S. Census shows some changes between 2000 and 2010. While the majority identified as White (92.64% in 2000 and 90.79% in 2010), there were notable shifts among other groups. Those identifying as two or more races saw a significant increase from 1.09% to 1.77%, a change of 62.39%. The Hispanic demographic also rose from 1.95% to 2.62%, a 34.36% increase. Meanwhile, those identifying as Black grew from 3% to 3.46%, and American Indian and Alaskan Native from 0.68% to 0.74%. Asian/Pacific Islanders showed a marginal decrease from 0.64% to 0.63%.

20002010Change
White92.64%90.79%-2%
Black3%3.46%15.33%
Hispanic1.95%2.62%34.36%
Two or More Races1.09%1.77%62.39%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0.68%0.74%8.82%
Asian/Pacific Islander0.64%0.63%-1.56%

Farquhar 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 Farquhar is British & Irish, which comprises 61.6% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (17.2%) and Eastern European (4.9%). Additional ancestries include Italian, Scandinavian, Ashkenazi Jewish, Spanish & Portuguese, and Nigerian.

Ready to learn more about your ancestry? Get the most comprehensive ancestry breakdown on the market by taking our DNA test. Shop 23andMe

ANCESTRY BREAKDOWNCOMPOSITION
British & Irish61.6%
French & German17.2%
Eastern European4.9%
Other16.4%
Farquhar

Possible origins of the surname Farquhar

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 Farquhar have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

RECENT ANCESTRY LocationPercentage
Glasgow City, United Kingdom90.30%
West Yorkshire, United Kingdom90.30%
West Midlands, United Kingdom90.30%
Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom90.30%
Greater London, United Kingdom90.30%

What Farquhar 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 Farquhar 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 R-P312 and R-DF21, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Sutherland, Keyes, O'Neal, Mcewen, Lindsey, Sexton, O'Neill, Mackie, Quinlan, Sanderson.

The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Farquhar surname are: H1, J1c, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.

farquharPaternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343

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 Farquhar 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

Farquhar

Chocolate Ice Cream

Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.

"Farquhar" Surname 61.9%

23andMe Users 41.3%

Traits

Farquhar

Misophonia

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

"Farquhar" Surname 24.0%

23andMe Users 27.9%

Habits

Farquhar

Sugary Drink

Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.

"Farquhar" Surname 28.0%

23andMe Users 21.1%

Wellness

Farquhar

Migraine

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

"Farquhar" Surname 21.1%

23andMe Users 16.4%

Are health conditions linked to the last name Farquhar?

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 Farquhar 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%