Explore the Family Name Foss
The meaning of Foss
1. English: either topographic name from Middle English foss ‘ditch’ (from Old English foss ‘ditch’, Latin fossa) or a habitational name from one or more of the many places so named, such as Voss in Plympton Saint Mary and Great Fossend in Burlescombe (both Devon), the River Foss (North Yorkshire), Foss Beck (East Yorkshire), and the Fosse Way, a Roman road running between Lincoln (Lincolnshire) and Axminster (Devon) via Leicester (Leicestershire), Cirencester (Gloucestershire), and Bath (Somerset), named in the Old English period from the ditch that ran alongside it. 2. Danish: from fos, vos ‘fox’, applied as a nickname for a sly or cunning person, or as a topographic or habitational name referring to a house distinguished by the sign of a fox. 3. Norwegian: habitational name from a farmstead so named from Old Norse fors ‘waterfall’, examples of which are found throughout Norway. 4. North German: variant of Voss. This surname is also found in the Netherlands.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Foss in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Foss has seen a slight decline in terms of ranking from 2000 to 2010, moving from rank 2,418 to 2,563, a drop of 6%. However, the overall count of individuals with the Foss surname increased by 2.6% during the same period, from 13,737 to 14,094. The proportion per 100,000 also decreased by 6.09%, from 5.09 to 4.78.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,418 | #2,563 | -6% |
| Count | 13,737 | 14,094 | 2.6% |
| Proportion per 100k | 5.09 | 4.78 | -6.09% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Foss
Regarding ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals some interesting shifts within the Foss population in the U.S. between 2000 and 2010. While the majority of individuals with this surname identify as White (93.91% in 2010), there was a slight decrease of 1.25% in this group over the decade. Conversely, there were significant increases among those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander (a rise of 41.18%) and those identifying as Hispanic (an increase of 70.4%). The proportion of people identifying as two or more races also rose by 50.93%. Meanwhile, the proportions of people identifying as Black or as American Indian and Alaskan Native decreased by 19.67% and 25.3% respectively.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 95.1% | 93.91% | -1.25% |
| Hispanic | 1.25% | 2.13% | 70.4% |
| Two or More Races | 1.08% | 1.63% | 50.93% |
| Black | 1.22% | 0.98% | -19.67% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.51% | 0.72% | 41.18% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.83% | 0.62% | -25.3% |
Foss 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 Foss is British & Irish, which comprises 41.5% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (25.4%) and Scandinavian (15.1%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Italian, Ashkenazi Jewish, Spanish & Portuguese, and Indigenous American.
Ready to learn more about your ancestry? Get the most comprehensive ancestry breakdown on the market by taking our DNA test. Shop 23andMe
| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 41.5% |
| French & German | 25.4% |
| Scandinavian | 15.1% |
| Other | 17.9% |
Possible origins of the surname Foss
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 Foss have recent ancestry locations in United Kingdom and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 82.90% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 82.90% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 82.90% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 82.60% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 82.60% |
What Foss 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 Foss is R-L2, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-L2 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-U152 and R-CTS241, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Hudson, Langley, Carver, Deal, Rust, Granger, Cash, Adamson, Galloway, Hoyle.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Foss surname are: H1, T2b, 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 Foss 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.
"Foss" Surname 45.3%
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.
"Foss" Surname 22.8%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Foss" Surname 26.8%
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.
"Foss" Surname 18.5%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Foss?
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 Foss are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition