Explore the Family Name Gonsalves

The meaning of Gonsalves

Portuguese: variant of Gonçalves (see Goncalves). This surname is also found in western India, where it was taken by Portuguese colonists. Some characteristic forenames: Spanish Manuel, Jose, Fernando, Americo, Joaquin, Jorge, Luis, Miguel, Bernardo, Jose Carlos, Juvenal, Pedro. Portuguese Joao, Joaquim.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Gonsalves in the United States?

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Gonsalves showed an increase in popularity from 2000 to 2010. The rank of the surname rose from 4265 in 2000 to 4173 in 2010, representing a positive change of 2.16%. The count of individuals bearing this surname also increased by 10.46%, from 7690 in 2000 to 8494 in 2010. This indicates that the surname became slightly more common over this decade, with its proportion per 100,000 people increasing marginally from 2.85 to 2.88.

20002010Change
Rank#4,265#4,1732.16%
Count7,6908,49410.46%
Proportion per 100k2.852.881.05%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Gonsalves

The ethnicity associated with the surname Gonsalves evolved between 2000 and 2010, according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. The percentage identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander grew significantly by 37.74%, while the Black community saw a substantial rise of 65.83%. The proportion identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native also noted an increase of 66.67%, albeit from a smaller base. However, those reporting two or more races dropped by 48.31%, suggesting a shift in how individuals with this surname identify their ethnic identity. The White and Hispanic populations remained relatively stable, with slight changes of -0.17% and +2.76% respectively.

20002010Change
White60.51%60.41%-0.17%
Hispanic12.3%12.64%2.76%
Black6.38%10.58%65.83%
Asian/Pacific Islander5.75%7.92%37.74%
Two or More Races14.49%7.49%-48.31%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0.57%0.95%66.67%

Gonsalves 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 Gonsalves is Spanish & Portuguese, which comprises 31.8% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (22.2%) and French & German (10.3%). Additional ancestries include Italian, Senegambian & Guinean, Nigerian, Southern Indian & Sri Lankan, and Filipino & Austronesian.

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ANCESTRY BREAKDOWNCOMPOSITION
Spanish & Portuguese31.8%
British & Irish22.2%
French & German10.3%
Other35.7%
Gonsalves

Possible origins of the surname Gonsalves

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 Gonsalves have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Portugal.

RECENT ANCESTRY LocationPercentage
Greater London, United Kingdom45.80%
Greater Manchester, United Kingdom45.80%
Merseyside, United Kingdom45.30%
Glasgow City, United Kingdom44.90%
Lancashire, United Kingdom44.90%

What Gonsalves 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 Gonsalves is R-P311, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-P311 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-CTS241 and E-V13, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Ribeiro, Correia, Vieira, Costa, Almeida, Da Silva, Cabral, Pereira, Grimm, Medeiros.

The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Gonsalves surname are: M, H1, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.

gonsalvesPaternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343

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.

Maternal Haplo Image

What do people with the surname Gonsalves 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

Gonsalves

Chocolate Ice Cream

Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.

"Gonsalves" Surname 50.0%

23andMe Users 41.3%

Traits

Gonsalves

Misophonia

When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.

"Gonsalves" Surname 28.0%

23andMe Users 27.9%

Habits

Gonsalves

Sugary Drink

Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.

"Gonsalves" Surname 18.7%

23andMe Users 21.1%

Wellness

Gonsalves

Migraine

A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.

"Gonsalves" Surname 13.2%

23andMe Users 16.4%

Are health conditions linked to the last name Gonsalves?

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 Gonsalves are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition

Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Y402H variant

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of irreversible vision loss among older adults. The disease results in damage to the central part of the retina (the macula), impairing vision needed for reading, driving, or even recognizing faces. The 23andMe Health + Ancestry DNA test includes the two most common variants associated with an increased risk of developing the condition: the Y402H variant in the CFH gene and the A69S variant in the ARMS2 gene. Learn more about Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Spanish & Portuguese 56.3%

23andMe Users 57.2%