Explore the Family Name Gregory
The meaning of Gregory
English (of Norman origin) and French: from a personal name that was popular throughout Christendom in the Middle Ages. The Greek original, Grēgorios, is a derivative of grēgorein ‘to be awake, to be watchful’. However, the Latin form, Gregorius, came to be associated by folk etymology with grex, gregis ‘flock, herd’, under the influence of the Christian image of the good shepherd. The Greek name was borne in the early Christian centuries by two fathers of the Orthodox Church, Saint Gregory Nazianzene (c.325–90) and Saint Gregory of Nyssa (c.331–95), and later by sixteen popes, starting with Gregory the Great (c.540–604). It was also the name of 3rd- and 4th-century apostles of Armenia. In North America, the English form of the surname has absorbed many cognates from other languages, e.g. Italian Gregorio, German, Slovak, and Slovenian Gregor, Polish Grzegorz, Czech Řehoř (see Rehor), and French Gregoire, and also their patronymics and other derivatives, e.g. Polish Grzegorczyk.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Gregory in the United States?
According to the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Gregory has fluctuated over time. In 2000, it was ranked the 312th most common surname in the US, but dropped to the 339th position by 2010, indicating a decrease of 8.65%. However, the count or number of individuals with this surname increased by 2.9% during the same period, moving from 88,810 in 2000 to 91,384 in 2010. The proportion per 100,000 people also slightly decreased from 32.92 to 30.98 between 2000 and 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #312 | #339 | -8.65% |
| Count | 88,810 | 91,384 | 2.9% |
| Proportion per 100k | 32.92 | 30.98 | -5.89% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Gregory
The Decennial U.S. Census data also sheds light on the ethnic identity associated with the surname Gregory. The majority of the individuals with this surname identified as White, although there was a slight decrease from 80.87% in 2000 to 78.64% in 2010. Those identifying as Black represented the second largest group, with an increase from 14.62% in 2000 to 15.56% in 2010. There were also increases in the percentage of those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and Hispanic, up 32.56% and 36.81% respectively. Meanwhile, the proportion of American Indian and Alaskan Natives remained steady at 0.75%, and those identifying with two or more races saw a growth of 31.79% over the decade.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 80.87% | 78.64% | -2.76% |
| Black | 14.62% | 15.56% | 6.43% |
| Hispanic | 1.82% | 2.49% | 36.81% |
| Two or More Races | 1.51% | 1.99% | 31.79% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.75% | 0.75% | 0% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.43% | 0.57% | 32.56% |
Gregory 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 Gregory is British & Irish, which comprises 54.2% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (20.9%) and Eastern European (4.0%). Additional ancestries include Italian, Scandinavian, Nigerian, Spanish & Portuguese, and Ashkenazi Jewish.
Ready to learn more about your ancestry? Get the most comprehensive ancestry breakdown on the market by taking our DNA test. Shop 23andMe
| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 54.2% |
| French & German | 20.9% |
| Eastern European | 4.0% |
| Other | 20.9% |
Possible origins of the surname Gregory
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 Gregory have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 86.40% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 86.20% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 86.10% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 86.10% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 86.00% |
What Gregory 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 Gregory 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-S3933 and I-Z58, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Wright, Parker, Brown, Harrison, Clark, Baker, Smith, Bolton, Hill, Davis.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Gregory 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 Gregory 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.
"Gregory" Surname 43.1%
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.
"Gregory" Surname 31.6%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Gregory" Surname 22.2%
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.
"Gregory" Surname 18.6%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Gregory?
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 Gregory are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition