Explore the Family Name Holz
The meaning of Holz
1. German: topographic name for a forest dweller, from Middle High German holz ‘wood, copse’. 2. Jewish (Ashkenazic): from German Holz ‘wood’, either an artificial name or a metonymic occupational name for a woodcutter or someone who sold wood. 3. Germanized form of Sorbian Hólc: nickname or status name from Upper Sorbian hólc ‘boy, young man’, also ‘apprentice, farmhand’. 4. In some cases also a Germanized form of Slovenian Holc ‘wood’, a topographic name of German origin (see 1 above), often applied as a translation into German of Slovenian cognate surnames, such as Les. Compare Holtz. Some characteristic forenames: German Kurt, Hans, Dieter, Erna, Fritz, Gunther, Manfred, Otto, Ulrich, Bernhard, Erhardt, Erwin.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Holz in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Holz has seen specific trends in popularity over time. In 2000, Holz ranked as the 9850th most popular surname, with a count of 3,027 individuals carrying this name. By 2010 however, its ranking had slipped to 10,657th place, with a marginal decrease in count to 3,002 individuals. This represents a change of -8.19% in rank and -0.83% in count over the ten-year period. Additionally, when normalized per 100,000 people, the proportion of the population bearing this surname also saw a decrease of -8.93%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #9,850 | #10,657 | -8.19% |
| Count | 3,027 | 3,002 | -0.83% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.12 | 1.02 | -8.93% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Holz
In terms of ethnicity, the distribution of the surname Holz also underwent changes between 2000 and 2010. The data from the Decennial U.S. Census shows that a significant majority of individuals with the surname identified as White in both years, albeit with a slight decrease of -1.77%. Meanwhile, those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and Hispanic saw increases of 55.36% and 52.82% respectively. There was also a notable increase of 117.39% among those reporting two or more races. Conversely, there was a decline of -37.74% among those identifying as Black, while the American Indian/Alaskan Native category showed a minor increase of 6.78%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 96.2% | 94.5% | -1.77% |
| Hispanic | 1.42% | 2.17% | 52.82% |
| Two or More Races | 0.69% | 1.5% | 117.39% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.56% | 0.87% | 55.36% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.59% | 0.63% | 6.78% |
| Black | 0.53% | 0.33% | -37.74% |
Holz 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 Holz is French & German, which comprises 36.6% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (27.9%) and Eastern European (9.9%). Additional ancestries include Ashkenazi Jewish, Scandinavian, Italian, Chinese, and Spanish & Portuguese.
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 |
|---|---|
| French & German | 36.6% |
| British & Irish | 27.9% |
| Eastern European | 9.9% |
| Other | 25.6% |
Possible origins of the surname Holz
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 Holz have recent ancestry locations spanning a few countries, mostly in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and Germany.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 55.40% |
| South Yorkshire, United Kingdom | 55.40% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 55.40% |
| Belfast, United Kingdom | 55.40% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 55.40% |
What Holz 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 Holz is O-F2415, which is predominantly found among people with East Asian & Indigenous American ancestry. Haplogroup O-F2415 is descended from haplogroup O-M1359. Other common haplogroups include E-M183 and O-F2859, which are predominantly found among people with European and East Asian & Indigenous American ancestry.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Holz surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins O-M1359
Your paternal lineage may be linked to the Cham
One of the many populations harboring members of haplogroup O1b1a1a1a1 is the Cham ethnic group, a group of people who speak Austronesian languages in Mainland Southeast Asia. Austronesian languages make up a language family that is extremely large and widespread, comprising over 350 million people on islands such as Madagascar, Easter Island, and many others. However, Austronesian languages are less common on mainland Asia, with a notable exception being the Chamic language. Research suggests that ancestors of the Cham people migrated from Southeast Asian islands to the mainland around the year 500 BCE, and that early Cham populations quickly began mixing with indigenous southern Vietnamese populations. As a result, the Chamic language now has words that were borrowed from languages spoken by indigenous Vietnamese people. It is likely that an ancestral Kinh population was one of the populations that mixed with the Cham people shortly after their migration to mainland Asia.
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 Holz 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.
"Holz" Surname 41.7%
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.
"Holz" Surname 33.3%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Holz" Surname 15.8%
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.
"Holz" Surname 22.5%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Holz?
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 Holz are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition