Explore the Family Name Hazel

The meaning of Hazel

English (East Anglia): topographic name for someone who lived near a hazelnut tree or grove, from Old English hæsel or Old Norse hesli ‘hazel tree’, or else a habitational name from a place called with this word, for example Hessle (East Yorkshire and Yorkshire).

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

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

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Hazel saw a slight decrease in popularity between 2000 and 2010, falling from the 4,513th most common surname to the 4,600th. Despite its drop in rank, the number of individuals with the surname Hazel actually grew by 6.59%, increasing from 7,234 persons in 2000 to 7,711 in 2010. However, when adjusted for population growth, the proportion of people named Hazel per 100k decreased by 2.61%.

20002010Change
Rank#4,513#4,600-1.93%
Count7,2347,7116.59%
Proportion per 100k2.682.61-2.61%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Hazel

The ethnicity data from the Decennial U.S. Census reveals some shifts in the ethnic identity of those bearing the surname Hazel between 2000 and 2010. The largest increase was seen in those identifying as Hispanic, rising by 55.06%. Individuals identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander also increased significantly, growing by 47.37%. Those claiming two or more races rose by 34.50%, while individuals identifying as Black saw a modest growth of 6.04%. Those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native showed a slight increase of 4.00%. However, there was a reduction in individuals identifying as White, declining by 4.49% over the decade.

20002010Change
White72.44%69.19%-4.49%
Black23%24.39%6.04%
Hispanic1.78%2.76%55.06%
Two or More Races1.71%2.3%34.5%
Asian/Pacific Islander0.57%0.84%47.37%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0.5%0.52%4%

Hazel 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 Hazel is British & Irish, which comprises 49.1% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (22.4%) and Eastern European (5.2%). Additional ancestries include Nigerian, Scandinavian, Italian, Ghanaian, Liberian & Sierra Leonean, and Spanish & Portuguese.

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ANCESTRY BREAKDOWNCOMPOSITION
British & Irish49.1%
French & German22.4%
Eastern European5.2%
Other23.3%
Hazel

Possible origins of the surname Hazel

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

RECENT ANCESTRY LocationPercentage
Greater London, United Kingdom77.80%
Merseyside, United Kingdom77.80%
Glasgow City, United Kingdom77.20%
West Yorkshire, United Kingdom76.50%
Greater Manchester, United Kingdom76.50%

What Hazel 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 Hazel is R-Y4010, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-Y4010 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include E-M180 and I-Z58, which are predominantly found among people with Sub-Saharan African and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Corbett, Curtis, Grey, Schramm, Sanders, Reed, Shepard, Keyser, Fisher, Thompson.

The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Hazel surname are: H1, J1c, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.

hazelPaternal 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 Hazel 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

Hazel

Chocolate Ice Cream

Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.

"Hazel" Surname 55.1%

23andMe Users 41.3%

Traits

Hazel

Misophonia

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

"Hazel" Surname 31.8%

23andMe Users 27.9%

Habits

Hazel

Sugary Drink

Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.

"Hazel" Surname 17.6%

23andMe Users 21.1%

Wellness

Hazel

Migraine

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

"Hazel" Surname 16.2%

23andMe Users 16.4%

Are health conditions linked to the last name Hazel?

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 Hazel 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

British & Irish 62.1%

23andMe Users 57.2%