Explore the Family Name Follett
The meaning of Follett
English (of Norman origin): nickname from Anglo-Norman French fol(l)et ‘fool, jester’.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Follett in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Follett saw a slight dip between 2000 and 2010. Ranked 10,294th in popularity in the year 2000, it slipped to the 10,805th spot by 2010, denoting a decrease of 4.96%. However, the total count of individuals with this last name increased from 2,868 to 2,950 during the same period, a rise of 2.86%. The proportion of people named Follett per 100,000 dropped slightly by 5.66%, from 1.06 to 1.00.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #10,294 | #10,805 | -4.96% |
| Count | 2,868 | 2,950 | 2.86% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.06 | 1 | -5.66% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Follett
The ethnicity distribution for the surname Follett also showed interesting changes, as per the Decennial U.S. Census data. In 2010, the largest ethnic identity associated with the Follett surname was White, representing 94.10% of all Folletts, down 1.39% from 2000. The Asian/Pacific Islander category saw the most significant increase, almost doubling from 0.59% in 2000 to 1.12% in 2010. Hispanic representation also rose from 1.12% to 2.03%, marking an 81.25% change. Meanwhile, those identifying as Black or Two or more races saw decreases, with Black representation falling by 19.05% and the latter by 9.33%. The American Indian and Alaskan Native group also rose from 0.31% to 0.54%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 95.43% | 94.1% | -1.39% |
| Hispanic | 1.12% | 2.03% | 81.25% |
| Two or More Races | 1.5% | 1.36% | -9.33% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.59% | 1.12% | 89.83% |
| Black | 1.05% | 0.85% | -19.05% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.31% | 0.54% | 74.19% |
Follett 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 Follett is British & Irish, which comprises 50.1% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (22.9%) and Scandinavian (8.1%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Italian, Ashkenazi Jewish, Spanish & Portuguese, and Filipino & Austronesian.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 50.1% |
| French & German | 22.9% |
| Scandinavian | 8.1% |
| Other | 18.9% |
Possible origins of the surname Follett
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 Follett have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 90.10% |
| Lancashire, United Kingdom | 90.10% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 90.10% |
| West Yorkshire, United Kingdom | 89.10% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 89.10% |
What Follett 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 Follett is R-U152, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-U152 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-P312 and R-P311, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Agee, Peeler, Musselman, Breedlove, Frazee, Boynton, Shirk, Boykin, Bonham, Jester.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Follett surname are: H1, N, 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 Follett 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.
"Follett" Surname 39.5%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Cheek Dimples
Small indentations that appear on the cheeks when a person smiles.
"Follett" Surname 25.0%
23andMe Users 37.6%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Follett" Surname 18.0%
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.
"Follett" Surname 18.4%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Follett?
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 Follett are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition