Explore the Family Name Homer
The meaning of Homer
1. English: topographic name for a dweller by a holly bush, from Middle English holm (Old English holen) + the agent suffix -er, a type of formation characteristic of Hampshire and Sussex. See Holm 2. 2. English: habitational name from Holmer (Herefordshire), Holmer Green (Buckinghamshire), or Homer (Devon), or else from other unrecorded placenames formed with Middle English hol(g)h + mere ‘pool by or in the hollow’ (Old English holh + mere). 3. American shortened and altered form of Greek Omiros or one of its patronymic derivatives (Omirou, which is found mainly in Cyprus, Omiridis, etc.). This was not only the name of the classical Greek epic poet (classical Greek Homēros), but was also borne by a Christian martyr venerated in the Greek Orthodox Church. 4. Slovenian: variant of Homar and, in North America, probably also an altered form of this. History: The American painter Winslow Homer (1836–1910) was of old New England stock dating back to Captain John Homer, an Englishman who crossed the Atlantic in his own ship and settled in Boston c.1636.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Homer in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Homer has seen a slight decrease between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, the surname was ranked 5339th in popularity with a count of 6009 representing a proportion of 2.23 per 100,000 people. By 2010, the rank had dropped to 5610th, demonstrating a decrease of 5.08%. However, the number of people carrying the Homer surname slightly increased to 6198, showing an increase of 3.15%. This indicates that although fewer families chose to keep or adopt this surname, the overall population with this surname grew.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #5,339 | #5,610 | -5.08% |
| Count | 6,009 | 6,198 | 3.15% |
| Proportion per 100k | 2.23 | 2.1 | -5.83% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Homer
The ethnic identity associated with the surname Homer also experienced some changes. According to the Decennial U.S. Census, in 2000, 84.11% of the people bearing the surname identified as White, 7.85% as Black, 4.28% as American Indian and Alaskan Native, 1.75% identified with two or more races, 1.38% as Hispanic, and 0.63% as Asian/Pacific Islander. By 2010, there were noticeable shifts with the White population decreasing by 3.99% to 80.75%, while the Hispanic ethnicity saw the largest increase of 78.99%, rising to 2.47%. The percentage of those identifying as Black also increased to 9.28%, and the percentage of those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander rose to 0.76%. Those identifying with two or more races increased to 2.31% and the American Indian and Alaskan Native group saw a minor increase to 4.44%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 84.11% | 80.75% | -3.99% |
| Black | 7.85% | 9.28% | 18.22% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 4.28% | 4.44% | 3.74% |
| Hispanic | 1.38% | 2.47% | 78.99% |
| Two or More Races | 1.75% | 2.31% | 32% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.63% | 0.76% | 20.63% |
Homer 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 Homer is British & Irish, which comprises 45.6% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (23.5%) and Ashkenazi Jewish (9.5%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Eastern European, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, and Nigerian.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 45.6% |
| French & German | 23.5% |
| Ashkenazi Jewish | 9.5% |
| Other | 21.5% |
Possible origins of the surname Homer
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 Homer have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 80.80% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 80.80% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 80.80% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 80.80% |
| West Yorkshire, United Kingdom | 80.80% |
What Homer 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 Homer is R-CTS4065, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-CTS4065 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-L1 and E-V13, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Duke, Clark, Roth, Vincent, Smith, Sharp, Bell, Werner, Schaefer, Taylor.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Homer surname are: H1, H, J1. 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 Homer 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.
"Homer" Surname 52.2%
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.
"Homer" Surname 37.2%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Homer" Surname 26.2%
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.
"Homer" Surname 18.2%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Homer?
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 Homer are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition