Explore the Family Name Fortunato
The meaning of Fortunato
Italian and Spanish: from the personal name Fortunato, a continuation of the Late Latin name Fortunatus, derived from the Latin adjective fortunatus ‘prosperous, happy’ and borne by many Christian saints. Some characteristic forenames: Italian Mario, Rocco, Angelo, Vito, Gino, Salvatore, Alfonse, Antonio, Biagio, Carmine, Guido, Lorenzo, Alfredo, Armando, Bienvenido, Claudio, Dionicio, Eduardo. Spanish Julio, Jose, Agustin.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Fortunato in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Fortunato saw a slight decline between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it ranked 7864 in popularity, dropping to 8201 in 2010, a change of -4.29%. The count of individuals with this surname increased from 3902 in 2000 to 4047 in 2010, marking a growth of 3.72%. However, the proportion per 100,000 people dropped from 1.45 in 2000 to 1.37 in 2010, indicating a decrease of -5.52%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #7,864 | #8,201 | -4.29% |
| Count | 3,902 | 4,047 | 3.72% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.45 | 1.37 | -5.52% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Fortunato
In terms of ethnicity, the data from the Decennial U.S. Census reveals some shifts in the ethnic identities associated with the surname Fortunato between 2000 and 2010. The percentage of Asian/Pacific Islander individuals increased by 30.56%, from 1.44% to 1.88%, while those identifying with two or more races saw a rise of 13.04%, moving from 0.92% to 1.04%. In contrast, the proportion of white individuals decreased by -5.72%, from 86.75% to 81.79%. Notably, Hispanic representation experienced significant growth, jumping by 36.74% from 10.48% to 14.33%. Black, American Indian, and Alaskan Native percentages remained static at 0%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 86.75% | 81.79% | -5.72% |
| Hispanic | 10.48% | 14.33% | 36.74% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 1.44% | 1.88% | 30.56% |
| Two or More Races | 0.92% | 1.04% | 13.04% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Fortunato 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 Fortunato is Italian, which comprises 35.7% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (26.7%) and French & German (9.9%). Additional ancestries include Spanish & Portuguese, Eastern European, Ashkenazi Jewish, Scandinavian, and Indigenous American.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Italian | 35.7% |
| British & Irish | 26.7% |
| French & German | 9.9% |
| Other | 27.7% |
Possible origins of the surname Fortunato
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 Fortunato have recent ancestry locations spanning a few countries, mostly in Italy, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Sicily, Italy | 66.40% |
| Campania, Italy | 66.40% |
| Calabria, Italy | 63.90% |
| Apulia, Italy | 58.00% |
| Abruzzo, Italy | 54.60% |
What Fortunato 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 Fortunato is R-P312, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-P312 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include J-M67 and G-Z17887, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Fleischer, Camargo, Valentino, Conti, Frias, Viola, Demarco, Richman, Rosenfeld, Bettencourt.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Fortunato surname are: M, 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 Fortunato 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.
"Fortunato" Surname 47.5%
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.
"Fortunato" Surname 50.0%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Fortunato" Surname 20.8%
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.
"Fortunato" Surname 17.7%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Fortunato?
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 Fortunato are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition