Explore the Family Name Fraser
The meaning of Fraser
1. Scottish: apparently a nickname from Anglo-Norman French fraser(e), fresere ‘strawberry plant’. Fresel and Frisel, from Anglo-Norman French fresel ‘strawberry’, are early variants of the Fraser surname, the modern Gaelicized form of which is Friseal. See Frizzell. The crest on the Scottish family’s coat of arms takes the form of a strawberry plant, but its antiquity is unknown. Claims of a habitational derivation, in particular from a place called la Frézelière in Anjou (France), are attractive but they lack verifiable evidence. 2. Americanized form of one or more similar (like-sounding) Jewish surnames. History: There are two clans Fraser in Scotland, with common ancestry going back to Simon Fraser of Keith in East Lothian, who lived in the 12th century. One of these clans has its seat at Philorth Castle (subsequently re-named Cairnbulg) on the northeast coast of Scotland. Sir Alexander Fraser, 8th laird of Philorth (c.1536–1623) converted the fishing village of Faithlie into the burgh of Fraserburgh in the 1590s. The other clan is Fraser of Lovat, associated mainly with the city of Inverness are. They are descended from Simon Fraser, a younger son, who lived in the early 14th century. In Gaelic, the head of Clan Fraser of Lovat is known as Mac Shimi ‘son of Simon’.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Fraser in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Fraser saw minor changes between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Fraser held the rank of 1312th most popular surname in the United States, but by 2010, it had slipped slightly to 1358th place, marking a small decrease of 3.51%. Despite this drop in rank, the actual count of individuals with the surname increased from 24,616 to 25,961, showing a growth rate of 5.46%. However, when we consider the proportion per 100,000 people, there was a slight decrease of 3.61%, moving from 9.13 to 8.8.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,312 | #1,358 | -3.51% |
| Count | 24,616 | 25,961 | 5.46% |
| Proportion per 100k | 9.13 | 8.8 | -3.61% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Fraser
Turning to the ethnic identity associated with the surname Fraser, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals some shifts between 2000 and 2010. The most significant increases were seen in those identifying as Hispanic (from 1.88% to 2.62%), Black (from 13.00% to 15.47%) and those claiming two or more races (from 1.73% to 1.96%). Meanwhile, those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander also saw a modest increase from 0.82% to 0.89%. Notably, however, the proportion of those with the Fraser surname who identified as White decreased by 4.22%, falling from 81.93% to 78.47%. Individuals identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native also slightly decreased from 0.63% to 0.59%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 81.93% | 78.47% | -4.22% |
| Black | 13% | 15.47% | 19% |
| Hispanic | 1.88% | 2.62% | 39.36% |
| Two or More Races | 1.73% | 1.96% | 13.29% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.82% | 0.89% | 8.54% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.63% | 0.59% | -6.35% |
Fraser 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 Fraser is British & Irish, which comprises 58.9% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (17.1%) and Eastern European (3.6%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Ashkenazi Jewish, Nigerian, Italian, and Spanish & Portuguese.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 58.9% |
| French & German | 17.1% |
| Eastern European | 3.6% |
| Other | 20.4% |
Possible origins of the surname Fraser
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 Fraser have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 85.70% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 85.60% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 85.50% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 85.30% |
| Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom | 85.20% |
What Fraser 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 Fraser is R-L21, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-L21 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-S5741 and R-CTS241, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Black, Evans, Allen, Thomson, Thompson, Patterson, Roberts, Walker, Morris, Lewis.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Fraser 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 Fraser 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.
"Fraser" Surname 39.3%
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.
"Fraser" Surname 28.1%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Fraser" Surname 18.1%
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.
"Fraser" Surname 14.3%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Fraser?
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 Fraser are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition