Explore the Family Name Garland
The meaning of Garland
1. English: from Middle English gerlond, ger(e)land, garlond ‘metal chaplet, crown, coronet; wreath’, probably a nickname denoting a habitual wearer of such items, or a metonymic occupational name for a maker of them. 2. English: perhaps from the Old French personal name Gerland (ancient Germanic Garuland, probably from garw- ‘war-gear; prepared(ness)’ + land ‘land’; the first element of the French name may instead be from a name beginning with gēr ‘spear’). 3. English: topographic name from Middle English gor(e), gar(e) ‘triangular piece’ + lond ‘land’ (Old English gāra + land, lond), for someone who lived ‘(at the) triangular piece of land’. Compare Garfield. 4. Irish: adopted for the Norman name Gernon, which was Gaelicized as Gearnún.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Garland in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Garland saw a slight decrease in popularity between 2000 and 2010, moving from rank 1,251 to 1,309, a drop of 4.64%. However, during the same period, the absolute number of people bearing the surname increased by 4.1%, growing from 25,725 individuals to 26,779. This indicates that while the name became less popular compared to other surnames, the number of people with this last name did increase.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,251 | #1,309 | -4.64% |
| Count | 25,725 | 26,779 | 4.1% |
| Proportion per 100k | 9.54 | 9.08 | -4.82% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Garland
Looking at the ethnic identity associated with the Garland surname, according to the Decennial U.S. Census, there were changes observed between 2000 and 2010. The largest growth was seen in those identifying as Hispanic, which saw an increase of 81.10%, followed by those identifying as two or more races, which grew by 48.25%. Those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian and Alaskan Native also experienced growth, at 43.24% and 38.3%, respectively. Individuals identifying as Black saw a modest increase of 4.28%. Meanwhile, those who identify as White decreased by 3.5%, although this group still represented the majority ethnic identity associated with the surname Garland in both years.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 79.64% | 76.85% | -3.5% |
| Black | 16.82% | 17.54% | 4.28% |
| Hispanic | 1.27% | 2.3% | 81.1% |
| Two or More Races | 1.43% | 2.12% | 48.25% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.47% | 0.65% | 38.3% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.37% | 0.53% | 43.24% |
Garland 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 Garland is British & Irish, which comprises 53.9% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (22.0%) and Scandinavian (3.9%). Additional ancestries include Ashkenazi Jewish, Eastern European, Spanish & Portuguese, Nigerian, and Italian.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 53.9% |
| French & German | 22.0% |
| Scandinavian | 3.9% |
| Other | 20.1% |
Possible origins of the surname Garland
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 Garland have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 85.50% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 85.30% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 85.30% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 85.30% |
| West Yorkshire, United Kingdom | 85.20% |
What Garland 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 Garland 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 R-CTS241 and R-CTS1843, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Bradshaw, Pruitt, Funk, Ackerman, Hoskins, Rowley, Landers, Tait, Brink, Stover.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Garland 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 Garland 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.
"Garland" Surname 46.7%
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.
"Garland" Surname 24.1%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Garland" Surname 21.6%
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.
"Garland" Surname 21.3%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Garland?
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 Garland are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition