Explore the Family Name Faulkner
The meaning of Faulkner
English: from Middle English fauconer, fauk(e)ner, falconer ‘falconer’ (Old French fau(l)connier), an occupational name for someone who kept and trained falcons (a common feudal service). Falconry was a tremendously popular sport among the aristocracy in medieval Europe, and most great houses had their falconers. The surname could also have arisen as a metonymic occupational name for someone who operated the siege gun known as a falcon.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Faulkner in the United States?
The surname Faulkner, according to data from the Decennial U.S. Census, has seen a slight decrease in popularity over the years. In 2000, it ranked as the 896th most popular surname, but by 2010, it had slipped to the 952nd spot, marking a decline of 6.25%. Despite this drop in rank, the actual count of individuals with the Faulkner name increased from 35,389 in 2000 to 36,466 in 2010, an upswing of 3.04%. However, when taking into account the overall population represented per 100,000 people, the proportion of Faulkners decreased by 5.79% during that decade.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #896 | #952 | -6.25% |
| Count | 35,389 | 36,466 | 3.04% |
| Proportion per 100k | 13.12 | 12.36 | -5.79% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Faulkner
In terms of ethnicity, the Faulkner surname is widely associated with several ethnic identities, based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census. The majority of individuals bearing this surname identify as White, making up 81.58% in 2000 and slightly decreasing to 79.38% in 2010. Those identifying as Black composed 14.54% in 2000 and rose to 15.44% by 2010. Additionally, there were significant increases among those identifying as Hispanic (from 1.50% to 2.28%) and those reporting two or more races (from 1.44% to 1.84%). Smaller percentages of Faulkners identified as Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian/Alaskan Native, both groups seeing minor increases over the decade.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 81.58% | 79.38% | -2.7% |
| Black | 14.54% | 15.44% | 6.19% |
| Hispanic | 1.5% | 2.28% | 52% |
| Two or More Races | 1.44% | 1.84% | 27.78% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.52% | 0.6% | 15.38% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.41% | 0.45% | 9.76% |
Faulkner 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 Faulkner is British & Irish, which comprises 58.6% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (21.6%) and Eastern European (3.7%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, Nigerian, and Ashkenazi Jewish.
Ready to learn more about your ancestry? Get the most comprehensive ancestry breakdown on the market by taking our DNA test. Shop 23andMe
| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 58.6% |
| French & German | 21.6% |
| Eastern European | 3.7% |
| Other | 16.1% |
Possible origins of the surname Faulkner
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 Faulkner have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 90.20% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 89.90% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 89.90% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 89.80% |
| Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom | 89.60% |
What Faulkner 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 Faulkner is R-CTS241, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-CTS241 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include I-Z140 and R-L21, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Crawford, Lloyd, Shaw, Phillips, Morgan, Evans, Henry, Cooper, Ford, Price.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Faulkner 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 Faulkner 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.
"Faulkner" Surname 47.3%
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.
"Faulkner" Surname 29.0%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Faulkner" Surname 22.0%
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.
"Faulkner" Surname 18.2%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Faulkner?
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 Faulkner are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition