Explore the Family Name Fuller
The meaning of Fuller
1. English: occupational name for a dresser of cloth, from Middle English fuller ‘fuller of cloth’ (partly from Old English fullere, partly from Old French fouleor, foleur, Latin fullo). Raw cloth had to be fulled, i.e. scoured, cleansed, and thickened by beating or trampling it in water, a process also known as walking or tucking, hence the surnames Walker and Tucker alongside Fuller. These three terms and surnames are characteristic of different parts of England. In general, in Middle English, Fuller is southern and eastern, while Walker belongs to the west and north and Tucker is southwestern. Compare Fullen. 2. English: variant of Fullard with loss of -d. 3. German (Füller): occupational name for a person whose work involved filling, such as a dauber, or a nickname for a gourmand or glutton. Compare Filler. 4. Altered form of French Forest and Fournier. History: Samuel Fuller (1589–1633), born in Redenhall, Norfolk, England, was among the Pilgrim Fathers who sailed on the Mayflower in 1620. He was a deacon of the church and until his death functioned as Plymouth Colony’s physician.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Fuller in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the Fuller surname has seen a slight increase in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked 256th most popular, with a count of approximately 106,682 bearers, a proportion of 39.55 per 100,000 individuals. By 2010, the count had risen to 110,116, an increase of 3.22%, although its rank dropped slightly to the 281st position, representing a decline of 9.77%. The proportion also fell to 37.33 per 100,000, a decrease of 5.61%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #256 | #281 | -9.77% |
| Count | 106,682 | 110,116 | 3.22% |
| Proportion per 100k | 39.55 | 37.33 | -5.61% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Fuller
Regarding ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data revealed shifts in the ethnic identities associated with the Fuller surname from 2000 to 2010. The largest increase was observed among individuals of Hispanic ethnicity, which rose by 65.25% over the decade. Slight increases were also recorded for those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander (30.43%), Two or more races (31.71%), Black (3.29%), and American Indian and Alaskan Native (8.62%). Notably, the percentage of individuals identifying as White decreased by 3.06% during this period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 75.53% | 73.22% | -3.06% |
| Black | 20.39% | 21.06% | 3.29% |
| Hispanic | 1.41% | 2.33% | 65.25% |
| Two or More Races | 1.64% | 2.16% | 31.71% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.58% | 0.63% | 8.62% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.46% | 0.6% | 30.43% |
Fuller 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 Fuller is British & Irish, which comprises 52.5% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (24.1%) and Scandinavian (4.0%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Nigerian, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, and Ghanaian, Liberian & Sierra Leonean.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 52.5% |
| French & German | 24.1% |
| Scandinavian | 4.0% |
| Other | 19.4% |
Possible origins of the surname Fuller
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 Fuller have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 85.60% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 85.60% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 85.50% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 85.20% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 85.10% |
What Fuller 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 Fuller is R-S12025, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-S12025 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-L21 and R-M405, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Benton, Pierce, Coe, Black, Smith, Clarke, Bennett, White, Taylor, Clark.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Fuller surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343
Your paternal lineage may be linked to King Louis XVI
The rule of France by men of the House of Bourbon began with King Henri IV in 1589 C.E. and continued until the beheading of his direct paternal descendant King Louis XVI in 1793. Several years ago, researchers analyzed a mummified head and a blood-soaked cloth that they believed might belong to the two kings, and concluded that the royal paternal line belonged to haplogroup G. In a more recent study, however, a different set of researchers tested three living men who are direct descendants of the Bourbon kings. Their efforts revealed that the male lineage of the House of Bourbon is actually a branch of haplogroup R-M405.
Your 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 Fuller 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.
"Fuller" Surname 40.8%
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.
"Fuller" Surname 29.6%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Fuller" Surname 20.2%
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.
"Fuller" Surname 20.4%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Fuller?
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 Fuller are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition