Explore the Family Name Gavin
The meaning of Gavin
1. Irish: shortened Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Gábháin or Ó Gáibhín, both of which are derived from diminutives of gábhadh ‘want’ or ‘danger’ (the second being the more likely meaning here). 2. Scottish and northern English: from the personal name Gavin, Scottish form of English Gawain and French Gauvain. The name was introduced into English from French versions of the Arthurian romances, where this name was borne by one of the knights of the Round Table, brother of Galahad and Mordred and a nephew of Arthur. It has been taken to be an adaptation of the Welsh name Gwalchmei, perhaps ‘hawk of the plain’. 3. Scottish: shortened form of McGavin, which is believed to be an Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Gobhann ‘son of the smith’. 4. Spanish: Castilianized form of Aragonese Gabín, a habitational name from Gabín, a place in Huesca province, Aragon. 5. French: variant of Galvin or Gauvain, cognates of 2 above. Alternatively, perhaps a nickname related to Old Occitan gavina ‘seagull’. 6. Americanized form of Polish Gawin.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Gavin in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Gavin has seen a mild decrease in popularity between the years 2000 and 2010. In the year 2000, it was ranked 2453 in terms of commonality among American surnames, falling slightly to rank 2569 by 2010, representing a 4.73% decrease. Despite this decrease in rank, the actual count of people with the Gavin surname increased from 13,515 to 14,061, marking a growth of 4.04%. The proportion per 100,000 people decreased by 4.79%, from 5.01 to 4.77 over the same period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,453 | #2,569 | -4.73% |
| Count | 13,515 | 14,061 | 4.04% |
| Proportion per 100k | 5.01 | 4.77 | -4.79% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Gavin
In terms of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals a shifting composition for those bearing the Gavin surname from 2000 to 2010. The percentage of individuals identifying as White decreased by 2.76%, from 78.36% to 76.20%. There was a significant increase in those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian and Alaskan Native, with changes of 52.83% and 59.26% respectively, albeit from a relatively small base. The proportion of those reporting their ethnic identity as Hispanic also rose by 39.5%. Those identifying with two or more races saw a rise of approximately 23%, while the Black population saw a modest increase of 2.84%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 78.36% | 76.2% | -2.76% |
| Black | 17.25% | 17.74% | 2.84% |
| Hispanic | 2.38% | 3.32% | 39.5% |
| Two or More Races | 1.22% | 1.5% | 22.95% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.53% | 0.81% | 52.83% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.27% | 0.43% | 59.26% |
Gavin 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 Gavin is British & Irish, which comprises 57.5% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (16.3%) and Eastern European (6.1%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Italian, Ashkenazi Jewish, Spanish & Portuguese, and Indigenous American.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 57.5% |
| French & German | 16.3% |
| Eastern European | 6.1% |
| Other | 20.0% |
Possible origins of the surname Gavin
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 Gavin have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 84.60% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 84.60% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 84.60% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 84.30% |
| West Yorkshire, United Kingdom | 83.60% |
What Gavin 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 Gavin is R-CTS3087, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-CTS3087 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-L21 and R-CTS241, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Coggins, Spain, Reardon, Hayman, Enright, Garvey, Scanlan, Riordan, Scanlon, Gaffney.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Gavin 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 Gavin 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.
"Gavin" Surname 34.4%
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.
"Gavin" Surname 31.9%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Gavin" Surname 15.8%
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.
"Gavin" Surname 19.6%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Gavin?
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 Gavin are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition