Explore the Family Name Heffernan
The meaning of Heffernan
Irish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó hIfearnáin ‘descendant of Ifearnán’, a personal name possibly from a diminutive of ifreann ‘hell’ and thus meaning ‘demon’. The surname has sometimes been shortened to Hernon. Some characteristic forenames: Irish Brendan, Siobhan, James Patrick, Sinead.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Heffernan in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Heffernan has seen a slight shift in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it ranked as the 4940th most common surname, while in 2010, it fell slightly to the 5043rd position, representing a decrease of 2.09%. However, the total count of individuals with this surname increased by 6.57% from 6532 in 2000 to 6961 in 2010. The proportion per 100k people dropped marginally by 2.48% from 2.42 in 2000 to 2.36 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #4,940 | #5,043 | -2.09% |
| Count | 6,532 | 6,961 | 6.57% |
| Proportion per 100k | 2.42 | 2.36 | -2.48% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Heffernan
Looking at the ethnicity breakdown of Heffernan from the Decennial U.S. Census data, there's been a notable change between 2000 and 2010. The majority of individuals with this surname identified as white, though this percentage dropped slightly from 95.65% in 2000 to 94.34% in 2010. Meanwhile, the proportion identifying as Hispanic saw the largest increase, rising from 1.94% to 2.93%. Those identifying as having two or more races also saw an increase, going from 1.04% to 1.48%. Individuals identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander showed a small increase, while those identifying as Black and American Indian and Alaskan Native both saw decreases.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 95.65% | 94.34% | -1.37% |
| Hispanic | 1.94% | 2.93% | 51.03% |
| Two or More Races | 1.04% | 1.48% | 42.31% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.9% | 0.96% | 6.67% |
| Black | 0.26% | 0.17% | -34.62% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.2% | 0.11% | -45% |
Heffernan 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 Heffernan is British & Irish, which comprises 63.2% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (12.8%) and Italian (5.8%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Scandinavian, Spanish & Portuguese, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Indigenous American.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 63.2% |
| French & German | 12.8% |
| Italian | 5.8% |
| Other | 18.2% |
Possible origins of the surname Heffernan
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 Heffernan have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 89.40% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 89.40% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 89.40% |
| Lancashire, United Kingdom | 88.90% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 88.90% |
What Heffernan 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 Heffernan is R-S15280.1, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-S15280.1 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-L2 and R-L21, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Campion, Craig, Roberts, Hudson, Black, Fletcher, Mills, Evans, Owen, Collins.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Heffernan surname are: H1, J1c, 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 Heffernan 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.
"Heffernan" Surname 45.8%
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.
"Heffernan" Surname 23.9%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Heffernan" Surname 16.2%
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.
"Heffernan" Surname 12.6%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Heffernan?
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 Heffernan are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition