Explore the Family Name Fitzgerald
The meaning of Fitzgerald
Irish: from Anglo-Norman French fi(t)z ‘son’ (see Fitz) + the personal name Gerald (see Gerald), ‘son of Gerald’. This is a very common Anglo-Norman name in Ireland, where it has been Gaelicized as Mac Gearailt. Irish bearers of the name claim descent from Gerald Fitzwalter de Windsor, constable of Pembroke Castle in the early 12th century, whose grandson Raymond (or Redmond) ‘le Gros’ FitzGerald (died after 1185) led the invasion of Ireland on behalf of Strongbow in 1170. A branch of the family held the title Knight of Glin from at least 1299–2011. Some characteristic forenames: Irish Brendan, Eamon, Liam, Aidan, Bridgid, Caitlin, Donal, Fitz, Fitzgerald, Ciaran, Colum, Dermot.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Fitzgerald in the United States?
Based on the data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Fitzgerald fluctuated slightly between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, the name ranked 390th in terms of commonality, but by 2010 it had slipped to the 430th position, marking a decrease of 10.26%. However, during the same period, the overall count of people bearing the surname increased by 2.49%, from 73,522 to 75,356. The proportion per 100,000 people also decreased by 6.24%, dropping from 27.25 to 25.55.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #390 | #430 | -10.26% |
| Count | 73,522 | 75,356 | 2.49% |
| Proportion per 100k | 27.25 | 25.55 | -6.24% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Fitzgerald
Regarding ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data revealed some significant shifts among those with the Fitzgerald surname between 2000 and 2010. The most notable increase was seen in the Hispanic community, which rose by 55.24%. There was also an uptick among individuals identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander (36.73% increase) and those reporting two or more races (28.91% increase). White individuals holding the Fitzgerald surname saw a slight decrease of 1.94%. The Black population using this surname saw a modest rise of 4.5%, while the American Indian and Alaskan Native group experienced a minor decline of 3.12%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 88.03% | 86.32% | -1.94% |
| Black | 8.44% | 8.82% | 4.5% |
| Hispanic | 1.43% | 2.22% | 55.24% |
| Two or More Races | 1.28% | 1.65% | 28.91% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.49% | 0.67% | 36.73% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.32% | 0.31% | -3.12% |
Fitzgerald 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 Fitzgerald is British & Irish, which comprises 60.1% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (17.5%) and Eastern European (4.8%). Additional ancestries include Italian, Scandinavian, Spanish & Portuguese, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Indigenous American.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 60.1% |
| French & German | 17.5% |
| Eastern European | 4.8% |
| Other | 17.6% |
Possible origins of the surname Fitzgerald
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 Fitzgerald have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 88.70% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 88.50% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 88.40% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 88.40% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 88.20% |
What Fitzgerald 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 Fitzgerald is E-L677, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup E-L677 is descended from haplogroup E-M96. Other common haplogroups include R-CTS241 and R-L21, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Newman, Evans, Morris, Thompson, Bryant, Lewis, Thomas, Price, Phillips, Richards.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Fitzgerald surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins E-M96
Your paternal lineage may be linked to trans-Mediterranean migrants
Some of the early members of E-L677 completed a large, trans-Mediterranean migration directly from Africa as early as 11,000 years ago. This large migration is probably why haplogroup E1b1b1a1b2 is fairly common among people from both northern Africa and the Mediterranean region. During a more recent migration, haplogroup E1b1b1a1b2 probably spread from northern Africa to eastern Africa along the Nile River. The migrations of haplogroup E1b1b1a1b2 through Africa and Europe have resulted in its present-day widespread distribution throughout northern and eastern Africa, western Asia, and the Mediterranean.
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.
What do people with the surname Fitzgerald 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.
"Fitzgerald" Surname 41.7%
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.
"Fitzgerald" Surname 23.5%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Fitzgerald" Surname 21.5%
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.
"Fitzgerald" Surname 16.5%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Fitzgerald?
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 Fitzgerald are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition