Explore the Family Name Ferreira
The meaning of Ferreira
Galician and Portuguese: topographic name for someone who lived by a forge or iron workings, derived from Latin ferraria ‘forge, iron works’. Some characteristic forenames: Spanish Manuel, Jose, Carlos, Luis, Fernando, Mario, Francisco, Armando, Ana, Jorge, Miguel, Sergio. Portuguese Joao, Paulo, Joaquim, Henrique, Agostinho, Albano, Amadeu, Duarte, Ligia, Marcio, Vasco, Adao.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Ferreira in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Ferreira has significantly increased between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Ferreira was ranked as the 1465th most common surname in the U.S., but by 2010 it had climbed to 1260th place, reflecting an increase of approximately 14%. The number of individuals with this surname also rose during this period, from 22,320 in 2000 to 27,898 in 2010, signifying a nearly 25% rise. Furthermore, the proportion of people named Ferreira per 100,000 residents grew by over 14%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,465 | #1,260 | 13.99% |
| Count | 22,320 | 27,898 | 24.99% |
| Proportion per 100k | 8.27 | 9.46 | 14.39% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Ferreira
The ethnic identity associated with the surname Ferreira also saw changes between 2000 and 2010, according to Decennial U.S. Census data. The percentage identifying as White decreased slightly from 67.78% to 66.54%. However, the Hispanic portion experienced growth, moving from 21.96% to 26.05%. A significant increase was observed among those identifying as Black, which almost doubled from 1.54% to 3.04%. Those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian and Alaskan Native also saw increases, albeit smaller ones. Meanwhile, there was a sharp decline in the percentage identifying with two or more races, dropping from 7.00% to 2.28%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 67.78% | 66.54% | -1.83% |
| Hispanic | 21.96% | 26.05% | 18.62% |
| Black | 1.54% | 3.04% | 97.4% |
| Two or More Races | 7% | 2.28% | -67.43% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 1.39% | 1.63% | 17.27% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.33% | 0.46% | 39.39% |
Ferreira 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 Ferreira is Spanish & Portuguese, which comprises 56.7% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (13.2%) and French & German (6.9%). Additional ancestries include Italian, Indigenous American, Eastern European, Angolan & Congolese, and Nigerian.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Spanish & Portuguese | 56.7% |
| British & Irish | 13.2% |
| French & German | 6.9% |
| Other | 23.3% |
Possible origins of the surname Ferreira
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 Ferreira have recent ancestry locations in Portugal and Brazil.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Azores, Portugal | 61.60% |
| Madeira, Portugal | 61.40% |
| Aveiro District, Portugal | 59.50% |
| Lisbon, Portugal | 59.10% |
| Porto District, Portugal | 56.40% |
What Ferreira 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 Ferreira 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 E-M183 and R-Z225, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Pereira, Souza, Oliveira, Costa, Gomes, Almeida, Fernandes, Rodrigues, Fernandez, Lopes.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Ferreira surname are: A2, H1, 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 Ferreira 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.
"Ferreira" Surname 42.1%
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.
"Ferreira" Surname 34.4%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Ferreira" Surname 19.3%
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.
"Ferreira" Surname 15.6%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Ferreira?
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 Ferreira are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition