Explore the Family Name Holbrook
The meaning of Holbrook
1. English: habitational name from any of various places called with Old English hol ‘hole, hollow’ + brōc ‘brook, stream’, such as Holbrook (Derbyshire, Dorset, Suffolk) and Howbrook in Wortley (Yorkshire). 2. Americanized form of North German Halbrock (or some like-sounding surname), a cognate of 1 above. History: This name was first taken to America by the brothers Thomas and John Holbrook, who emigrated to MA in the 17th century; their line can be traced back to Dundry, Somerset, England, in the first half of the 16th century. Other English bearers who started early lines of descent in the New World are Joseph Ho(u)lbrook of Warrington, Lancashire, who emigrated to MD as an indentured servant in the later 17th century; Randolph Holbrook, who was in VA in the 1720s but later returned to Nantwich, Cheshire; and Rev. John Holbrook, who emigrated from Handbury, Staffordshire, to NJ c.1723.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Holbrook in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Holbrook saw a slight decrease in popularity from the year 2000 to 2010. In 2000, it ranked as the 1392nd most common surname, while by 2010, it dropped to the 1502nd spot, marking a 7.9% decrease. However, the count of individuals bearing the surname increased slightly over the decade, with 23,317 recorded in 2000 and 23,843 in 2010, indicating a growth rate of 2.26%. The proportion per 100,000 people also declined from 8.64 to 8.08, a decrease of 6.48%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,392 | #1,502 | -7.9% |
| Count | 23,317 | 23,843 | 2.26% |
| Proportion per 100k | 8.64 | 8.08 | -6.48% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Holbrook
The changes in the ethnic identity associated with the surname Holbrook were more varied according to data from the Decennial U.S. Census. The percentage of Holbrooks identifying as White decreased slightly from 92.82% in 2000 to 91.52% in 2010. Meanwhile, those identifying as Hispanic experienced a significant increase, growing 63.64% over the decade. The proportion of Holbrooks identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander, two or more races, Black, and American Indian and Alaskan Native also grew, with increases of 29.03%, 24.58%, 3%, and 6.25%, respectively.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 92.82% | 91.52% | -1.4% |
| Black | 4% | 4.12% | 3% |
| Hispanic | 1.21% | 1.98% | 63.64% |
| Two or More Races | 1.18% | 1.47% | 24.58% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.48% | 0.51% | 6.25% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.31% | 0.4% | 29.03% |
Holbrook 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 Holbrook is British & Irish, which comprises 59.0% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (22.0%) and Scandinavian (4.4%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Spanish & Portuguese, Italian, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Indigenous American.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 59.0% |
| French & German | 22.0% |
| Scandinavian | 4.4% |
| Other | 14.6% |
Possible origins of the surname Holbrook
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 Holbrook have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 91.60% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 91.60% |
| West Yorkshire, United Kingdom | 91.60% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 91.40% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 91.40% |
What Holbrook 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 Holbrook is T-L162, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup T-L162 is descended from haplogroup T-M184. Other common haplogroups include T-M70 and I-S1954, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Gordon, Cobb, Daniel, Mann, Winter, Hamilton, Bernard, Wise, Carter, Bates.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Holbrook surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins T-M184
Your paternal lineage may be linked to Thomas Jefferson
Studies in 1998 and 2007 found that Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States, belonged to haplogroup T-M70. This discovery lends support to the notion that Jefferson was the father of Eston Hemings Jefferson, who also belonged to haplogroup T-M70, and who was the last son of Thomas Jefferson's slave Sally Hemings. However, it is also possible that Thomas Jefferson's brother Randolph, or one of Randolph's five sons, was the father of Eston Hemings Jefferson, because all of the Jefferson men share the same haplogroup. Though the T-M70 haplogroup is of Asian origin and is more common in Asia and East Africa than Europe, Jefferson came from an indigenous European branch of T-M70.
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.
What do people with the surname Holbrook 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.
"Holbrook" Surname 43.0%
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.
"Holbrook" Surname 29.2%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Holbrook" Surname 23.3%
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.
"Holbrook" Surname 16.7%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Holbrook?
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 Holbrook are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition