Explore the Family Name Gentile
The meaning of Gentile
1. Italian: from the personal name Gentile, a continuation of Late Latin Gentilis, from Latin gens (genitive gentis) ‘tribe, family, stock’, meaning ‘of the same stock’ and then ‘non-Christian, pagan’; as a medieval name it was an omen or well-wishing name with the sense ‘noble, courteous’, also ‘delicate, charming, graceful’ (Italian gentile). In some cases the surname may have arisen from a nickname, sometimes possibly ironical, from the same word. 2. English: variant of Gentle. 3. Jewish (Ashkenazic, from northern Italy): nickname or metronymic from Italian gentile ‘noble, delicate’ (see 1 above). See also Heifetz. Some characteristic forenames: Italian Angelo, Salvatore, Carmine, Vito, Domenic, Rocco, Giuseppe, Gino, Antonio, Pasquale, Gennaro, Sal.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Gentile in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Gentile was ranked 2,230 in popularity in 2000 and dropped slightly to rank 2,436 in 2010, showing a decrease in popularity by 9.24%. The number of people with this surname also subtly decreased from 14,938 in 2000 to 14,873 in 2010, representing a minimal change of -0.44%. This resulted in a decrease in proportion per 100k individuals from 5.54 in 2000 to 5.04 in 2010, a decline of 9.03%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,230 | #2,436 | -9.24% |
| Count | 14,938 | 14,873 | -0.44% |
| Proportion per 100k | 5.54 | 5.04 | -9.03% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Gentile
Examining the ethnic identity associated with the surname Gentile, according to the Decennial U.S. Census, it is predominantly of White origin, accounting for 96.28% of Gentiles in 2000, which slightly reduced to 94.61% in 2010. However, there has been an increase in other ethnicities, specifically Asian/Pacific Islander and Hispanic, from 2000 to 2010. The percentage of Asian/Pacific Islanders increased by 67.74%, rising from 0.31% in 2000 to 0.52% in 2010, while those of Hispanic identity rose by 67.16%, from 2.01% to 3.36%. There has been a small rise of 2.38% in Black ethnicity from 0.42% to 0.43%, while the American Indian and Alaskan Native category remained constant at 0.11%. Lastly, the group identifying with two or more races displayed a modest increase, moving from 0.88% in 2000 to 0.95% in 2010, marking a change of 7.95%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 96.28% | 94.61% | -1.73% |
| Hispanic | 2.01% | 3.36% | 67.16% |
| Two or More Races | 0.88% | 0.95% | 7.95% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.31% | 0.52% | 67.74% |
| Black | 0.42% | 0.43% | 2.38% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.11% | 0.11% | 0% |
Gentile 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 Gentile is Italian, which comprises 41.2% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (25.5%) and French & German (12.2%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Ashkenazi Jewish, Greek & Balkan, Spanish & Portuguese, and Scandinavian.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Italian | 41.2% |
| British & Irish | 25.5% |
| French & German | 12.2% |
| Other | 21.0% |
Possible origins of the surname Gentile
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 Gentile have recent ancestry locations spanning a few countries, mostly in Italy, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Campania, Italy | 68.90% |
| Sicily, Italy | 68.40% |
| Calabria, Italy | 64.30% |
| Abruzzo, Italy | 60.00% |
| Apulia, Italy | 60.00% |
What Gentile 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 Gentile is E-V13, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup E-V13 is descended from haplogroup E-M96. Other common haplogroups include R-U152 and R-P311, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Russo, Marino, Esposito, Rizzo, Klein, Mayer, Hoffman, Gross, Wolf, Schwartz.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Gentile surname are: H1, J1c, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins E-M96
Your paternal lineage may be linked to early Balkan migrants
Haplogroup E1b1b1a1b1a migrated in large numbers from the Balkans into Europe about 4,500 years ago, triggered by the beginning of the Balkan Bronze Age. During this migration, members of haplogroup E1b1b1a1b1a mainly followed rivers connecting the southern Balkans to northern-central Europe. Technological leaps often cause lineages to grow dramatically in numbers and in geographic range. The development of Bronze technology may have given men in haplogroup E1b1b1a1b1a a competitive advantage over other men, causing haplogroup E1b1b1a1b1a to proliferate and become widespread.
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 Gentile 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.
"Gentile" Surname 49.2%
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.
"Gentile" Surname 30.5%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Gentile" Surname 20.4%
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.
"Gentile" Surname 14.9%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Gentile?
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 Gentile are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition