Explore the Family Name Fenn
The meaning of Fenn
1. English: topographic name in south-east England for someone who lived in a low-lying marshy area, from Middle English fen(ne) ‘fen, marsh’ (Old English fenn). 2. South German: topographic name from Old High German fenni, Middle Low German and Old Frisian fenne ‘bog’. Compare Fehn. 3. Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 馮, see Feng 1.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Fenn in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Fenn has slightly increased from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, Fenn was ranked 6649 in terms of commonality, and this ranking improved to 6548 by 2010 — a 1.52% increase. The actual count of people bearing the name also grew over this decade, with an increase of approximately 10.3% from 4689 in 2000 to 5172 in 2010. The proportion of individuals named Fenn per 100k people remained stable, only marginally increasing by 0.57%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #6,649 | #6,548 | 1.52% |
| Count | 4,689 | 5,172 | 10.3% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.74 | 1.75 | 0.57% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Fenn
Regarding ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data indicates several changes within the Fenn family from 2000 to 2010. There was a significant rise in those identifying with two or more ethnicities, seeing a 50% increase. The Hispanic population saw the greatest growth with a 90.91% change. The Asian/Pacific Islander group experienced a slight increase of 4.27%, while the Black ethnic identity category had an 11.34% increase. On the other hand, there was a decrease in the number of people identified as White, dropping by 3.48%. Similarly, the American Indian and Alaskan Native category decreased by 8.33%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 86.48% | 83.47% | -3.48% |
| Black | 9.26% | 10.31% | 11.34% |
| Hispanic | 1.43% | 2.73% | 90.91% |
| Two or More Races | 1.3% | 1.95% | 50% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 1.17% | 1.22% | 4.27% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.36% | 0.33% | -8.33% |
Fenn 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 Fenn is British & Irish, which comprises 51.0% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (25.3%) and Scandinavian (4.5%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Spanish & Portuguese, Ashkenazi Jewish, Italian, and Indigenous American.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 51.0% |
| French & German | 25.3% |
| Scandinavian | 4.5% |
| Other | 19.1% |
Possible origins of the surname Fenn
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 Fenn have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 88.70% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 88.70% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 88.70% |
| Lancashire, United Kingdom | 88.70% |
| Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom | 88.10% |
What Fenn 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 Fenn is R-L664, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-L664 is descended from haplogroup R-M420. Other common haplogroups include R-CTS241 and R-M417, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Willard, Goodin, Hand, Ives, Drake, Couch, Dent, Hawks, Gurney, Moorhead.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Fenn surname are: H1, K1a, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M420Your 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 Fenn 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.
"Fenn" Surname 44.2%
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.
"Fenn" Surname 23.9%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Fenn" Surname 18.3%
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.
"Fenn" Surname 21.3%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Fenn?
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 Fenn are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition