Explore the Family Name Funk
The meaning of Funk
1. German: nickname for a blacksmith, or for a small and lively or irritable individual, from Middle High German vunke ‘spark’. This surname is also found Poland, Czechia, Sweden, Denmark, France (Alsace and Lorraine), and the Netherlands. 2. English: from Middle English funke, fonke, founck ‘spark of fire’, with the same meaning as 1 above. History: Between 1709 and 1772 nine families bearing this name immigrated to America. See also Funck.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Funk in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname "Funk" experienced a slight shift between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked as the 1351st most popular surname, while by 2010 it had moved to the 1459th spot, indicating a drop in rank by 7.99 percent. Despite this drop in rank, the actual count of individuals with the surname increased from 24,032 to 24,419, a growth of 1.61 percent. The proportion per 100,000 people also decreased slightly from 8.91 to 8.28, a drop of 7.07 percent.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,351 | #1,459 | -7.99% |
| Count | 24,032 | 24,419 | 1.61% |
| Proportion per 100k | 8.91 | 8.28 | -7.07% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Funk
Regarding the ethnic identity associated with the surname "Funk," there were observable shifts between 2000 and 2010 according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. The percentage of Funks identifying as White reduced marginally from 96.54 percent to 95.04 percent. However, those identifying as Hispanic witnessed significant growth, from 1.20 percent to 2.06 percent, an increase of 71.67 percent. There were also notable increases in those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander (from 0.57 percent to 0.82 percent) and Black (from 0.3 percent to 0.38 percent). Meanwhile, the proportion of Funks identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native fell from 0.40 percent to 0.29 percent. Those identifying with two or more races saw a rise from 1.00 percent to 1.40 percent.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 96.54% | 95.04% | -1.55% |
| Hispanic | 1.2% | 2.06% | 71.67% |
| Two or More Races | 1% | 1.4% | 40% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.57% | 0.82% | 43.86% |
| Black | 0.3% | 0.38% | 26.67% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.4% | 0.29% | -27.5% |
Funk 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 Funk is British & Irish, which comprises 39.6% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (37.2%) and Scandinavian (5.5%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Italian, Ashkenazi Jewish, Spanish & Portuguese, and Indigenous American.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 39.6% |
| French & German | 37.2% |
| Scandinavian | 5.5% |
| Other | 17.6% |
Possible origins of the surname Funk
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 Funk have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 81.40% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 81.20% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 81.20% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 81.10% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 80.70% |
What Funk 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 Funk is R-U152, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-U152 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include I-BY138 and R-CTS241, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Brink, Garland, Bradshaw, Kauffman, Rowley, Emmons, Landers, Hoskins, Millard, Randolph.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Funk 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 Funk 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.
"Funk" Surname 43.8%
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.
"Funk" Surname 23.0%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Funk" Surname 20.3%
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.
"Funk" Surname 19.8%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Funk?
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 Funk are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition