Explore the Family Name German
The meaning of German
1. English: ethnic name from Old French germain ‘German’ (from Latin Germanus). This sometimes denoted an actual immigrant from Germany, but was also used to refer to a person who had trade or other connections with German-speaking lands. The Latin word Germanus is of obscure and disputed origin; the most plausible of the etymologies that have been proposed is that the people were originally known as the ‘spear-men’, with ancient Germanic gēr, gār ‘spear’ as the first element. 2. Spanish and Hungarian (Germán); English (of Norman origin) and German: from the personal name Spanish and Hungarian Germán, Old French Germain, German German, from Latin Germanus (see Germain), a Christian saint’s name. 3. Americanized form of German Germann 1, a name of ancient Germanic origin. 4. Ukrainian and Rusyn (also from Slovakia and Poland): from the personal name German, which can be from both Latin Germanus (see Germain, compare 2 above) and German Hermann (compare 5 below). 5. Jewish (eastern Ashkenazic): variant of Herman or Hermann, originating under Russian influence, since Russian has no h and alters it to g in borrowed words and names. 6. In some cases possibly also an American shortened form of Greek Germanos: from the personal name Germanos (see Germain), bestowed in honor of several saints of the Eastern Church, in particular Saint Germanos from the 8th century, liturgical poet and patriarch of Constantinople. 7. Italianized form of Slovenian and Croatian Jerman.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name German in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname "German" has seen a steady increase between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked 2260th in terms of frequency, but by 2010, it had improved its standing to 2182nd, a rise of 3.45%. The number of individuals bearing this surname also increased during this period from 14,769 to 16,661, reflecting a growth rate of 12.81%. The proportion of people with this surname per 100,000 of the population rose from 5.47 to 5.65, a positive change of 3.29%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,260 | #2,182 | 3.45% |
| Count | 14,769 | 16,661 | 12.81% |
| Proportion per 100k | 5.47 | 5.65 | 3.29% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name German
Turning to the ethnic identity associated with the surname "German", the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals some shifts between 2000 and 2010. The percentage of individuals identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander saw a modest increase, rising by 11.11% from 0.81% to 0.90%. However, those identifying as two or more races decreased by 27.59%, from 1.74% to 1.26%. The percentage of white individuals bearing the surname dropped slightly by 8.79%, from 64.31% to 58.66%. The Hispanic population showed the most significant growth with an increase of 32.05%, moving from 18.44% to 24.35%. People identifying as Black remained relatively stable, decreasing by just 0.64% from 14.05% to 13.96%. Lastly, those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native saw an increase of 30.30%, though their representation remains small at 0.86%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 64.31% | 58.66% | -8.79% |
| Hispanic | 18.44% | 24.35% | 32.05% |
| Black | 14.05% | 13.96% | -0.64% |
| Two or More Races | 1.74% | 1.26% | -27.59% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.81% | 0.9% | 11.11% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.66% | 0.86% | 30.3% |
German 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 German is British & Irish, which comprises 35.3% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (22.5%) and Ashkenazi Jewish (9.0%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Spanish & Portuguese, Indigenous American, Scandinavian, and Italian.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 35.3% |
| French & German | 22.5% |
| Ashkenazi Jewish | 9.0% |
| Other | 33.2% |
Possible origins of the surname German
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 German have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 63.00% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 62.70% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 62.70% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 62.40% |
| Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom | 62.10% |
What German 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 German is R-CTS241, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-CTS241 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-Z28496 and R-L2, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Winters, Bowers, Grey, Fletcher, Robinson, Freeman, Doe, Beck, Thompson, Skinner.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with German 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 German 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.
"German" Surname 39.8%
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.
"German" Surname 26.6%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"German" Surname 29.0%
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.
"German" Surname 17.6%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name German?
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 German are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition