Explore the Family Name France
The meaning of France
1. English: ethnic name for someone from France (see 2 below). 2. French: habitational name given to someone from France (at the time when the name only applied to those lands belonging to the French king, covering only a small part of its current territory) or from Île-de-France (i.e. from a region centered on Paris); or, in southern France, an ethnic name for someone from what is now the northern half of the country, where the langue d’oïl (Old French as distinct from Occitan) was spoken. Compare Defrance and Lafrance. 3. Czech (Franče): from a pet form of František, Latin Franciscus (see Francis). 4. Slovenian: from a pet form of the personal name Franc.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name France in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname "France" has seen a slight decrease from 2000 to 2010. The surname ranked 2778th in the year 2000 and fell to 3005th by 2010, representing an 8.17% drop in rank. However, the count of individuals with the surname remained virtually unchanged with 11,936 bearers in 2000 and 11,937 in 2010 which is a negligible increase of 0.01%. Its proportion per 100,000 people also decreased by 8.37% over the same decade.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,778 | #3,005 | -8.17% |
| Count | 11,936 | 11,937 | 0.01% |
| Proportion per 100k | 4.42 | 4.05 | -8.37% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name France
The ethnic identity associated with the surname "France" has shown some shifts between 2000 and 2010, according to data from the Decennial U.S. Census. The percentage of those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander increased by 43.33%, and those identifying as two or more races rose by 15.34%. The percentage of White bearers of the surname experienced a slight decrease from 78.59% to 76.88%. Hispanic representation among bearers of the surname increased by 56.29%, while those identifying as Black saw a modest increase of 1.31%. The American Indian and Alaskan Native category also saw a rise of 13.85%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 78.59% | 76.88% | -2.18% |
| Black | 16.76% | 16.98% | 1.31% |
| Hispanic | 1.51% | 2.36% | 56.29% |
| Two or More Races | 1.89% | 2.18% | 15.34% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.6% | 0.86% | 43.33% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.65% | 0.74% | 13.85% |
France 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 France is British & Irish, which comprises 47.1% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (27.6%) and Eastern European (4.6%). Additional ancestries include Italian, Scandinavian, Nigerian, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Spanish & Portuguese.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 47.1% |
| French & German | 27.6% |
| Eastern European | 4.6% |
| Other | 20.8% |
Possible origins of the surname France
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 France have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 84.30% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 84.30% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 84.00% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 84.00% |
| Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom | 83.70% |
What France 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 France is R-CTS241, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-CTS241 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-Z209 and R-P311, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Morgan, Harrison, Richards, Lewis, Lloyd, Davis, Morris, Price, Bernard, Evans.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with France 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 France 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.
"France" Surname 46.1%
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.
"France" Surname 18.1%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"France" Surname 25.7%
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.
"France" Surname 20.2%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name France?
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 France are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition