Explore the Family Name Fernando
The meaning of Fernando
Spanish and Portuguese: from the personal name Fernando, a younger form of Ferdinando (see Ferdinand). This surname is also found in southern Italy, mainly in Naples and Palermo, since the period of Spanish dominance there, and as a result of the expulsion of the Jews from Spain and Portugal at the end of the 15th century, many of whom moved to Italy. It is also common in western India and especially in Sri Lanka, where it was taken by Portuguese colonists in the 16th century. Some characteristic forenames: Spanish Jose, Manuel, Luis, Orlando, Aida, Carlos, Jesusa, Rodolfo, Ruben, Adela, Alfredo, Alicia. Indian Rohan, Lalith, Nimal, Rajiv, Sanjeeva, Shanthi, Anil, Anusha, Dushan, Kapila, Lakshman, Mallika.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Fernando in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Fernando has increased in popularity since the turn of the 21st century. In 2000, it ranked 7161 but climbed to 6123 in 2010, marking a positive change of 14.5%. In terms of count, there were 4298 individuals with the last name Fernando in 2000 and this figure rose by 30.2% to 5596 in 2010. The proportion of people in the U.S. with this surname per 100k also saw an uptick from 1.59 to 1.9, demonstrating a 19.5% increase.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #7,161 | #6,123 | 14.5% |
| Count | 4,298 | 5,596 | 30.2% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.59 | 1.9 | 19.5% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Fernando
The ethnicity distribution for the surname Fernando, as recorded in the Decennial U.S. Census, shows that a large majority identify as Asian/Pacific Islander. This group went from 58.10% in 2000 to 62.79% in 2010, a growth of 8.07%. Those identifying as two or more races decreased slightly from 6.35% to 5.22%, a decline of -17.80%. The proportion identifying as White fell by nearly 22%, from 11.38% to 8.88%. Individuals of Hispanic ethnicity saw a slight decrease from 18.75% to 18.23%. The percentage of Blacks with the Fernando surname fell marginally from 2.70% to 2.45% while American Indian and Alaskan Natives also saw a drop from 2.72% to 2.43%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 58.1% | 62.79% | 8.07% |
| Hispanic | 18.75% | 18.23% | -2.77% |
| White | 11.38% | 8.88% | -21.97% |
| Two or More Races | 6.35% | 5.22% | -17.8% |
| Black | 2.7% | 2.45% | -9.26% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 2.72% | 2.43% | -10.66% |
Fernando 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 Fernando is Southern Indian & Sri Lankan, which comprises 50.0% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are Filipino & Austronesian (21.2%) and British & Irish (7.9%). Additional ancestries include French & German, Chinese, Spanish & Portuguese, Indigenous American, and Northern Indian & Pakistani.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Southern Indian & Sri Lankan | 50.0% |
| Filipino & Austronesian | 21.2% |
| British & Irish | 7.9% |
| Other | 20.9% |
Possible origins of the surname Fernando
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 Fernando have recent ancestry locations spanning a few countries, mostly in Sri Lanka, and India.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Western Province, Sri Lanka | 53.70% |
| Southern Province, Sri Lanka | 50.40% |
| Central Province, Sri Lanka | 42.10% |
| North Western Province, Sri Lanka | 36.40% |
| Kerala, India | 34.70% |
What Fernando 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 Fernando is R-L266, which is predominantly found among people with Central & South Asian ancestry. Haplogroup R-L266 is descended from haplogroup R-M479. Other common haplogroups include L-M27 and O-F265, which are predominantly found among people with Central & South Asian and East Asian & Indigenous American ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Chandra, De Silva, Perera, Patil, Krishnan, Rao, Reddy, Hussain, Menon, Iyer.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Fernando surname are: M, H, R. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M479
Your paternal lineage may be linked to the Romani people
The Roma, who are also called "Gypsies" and "Romanies," are an ethnic group that originated in India and migrated to Europe 1,000 years ago. There are several different Roma populations, including Vlach Roma, who speak Hungarian and Romani languages, and Carpathian Roma, who speak exclusively Hungarian. Today, Roma populations mostly live in Southeastern and Central Europe, and make up about 7% of the total population in Hungary. Haplogroup R2a is also present in a Kuwaiti Bedouin population called the Awazim. It is possible that haplogroup R2a was brought into the Awazim population during the migration of the Roma people from India to Europe 1,000 years ago.
Your maternal lineage may be linked to the ancient people of the Indian subcontinent
While Haplogroup M is widespread throughout South and East Asia, it is more diverse on the Indian sub-continent than anywhere else in the world. The high degree of diversity of M in India is likely tied to its ancient arrival here nearly 50,000 years ago. In addition to M2, which is found throughout the subcontinent, there are dozens of haplogroups branching off of M that exist in India. These branches are often connected to specific regions, tribes, or ethnic groups. For example, haplogroup M18 is found among the Oraon peoples of eastern India and Bangladesh, while haplogroup M41 is common among the Pardhan speakers of eastern India, and haplogroup M31a can be found on the Andaman Islands, just off the southeast coast of India.
What do people with the surname Fernando 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.
"Fernando" Surname 53.1%
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.
"Fernando" Surname 33.3%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Fernando" Surname 16.1%
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.
"Fernando" Surname 14.1%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Fernando?
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 Fernando are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition