Explore the Family Name Hunter
The meaning of Hunter
1. Scottish and northern English: occupational name from Middle English hunter(e) ‘huntsman’ (see Hunt). 2. Irish (Antrim and Derry): adopted for Gaelic Ó Fiaich (see Fee) due to confusion with the word fiadhach ‘hunt’. 3. In some cases also an Americanized form (mistranslation into English; compare Chasse 3) of French Canadian Chassé (see Chasse 1). History: A Scottish family of this name (see 1 above) has been established at Hunterston (Ayrshire) since the 13th century. — Some of the American bearers of the surname Hunter (see 3 above) are descendants of François Chassé alias Chassey from France (see Chasse).
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Hunter in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname 'Hunter' saw a marginal decrease in popularity from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, 'Hunter' was the 153rd most popular surname, but it slipped to 160th place by 2010, marking a 4.58% drop in rank. Despite this, the actual count of people with the 'Hunter' surname increased from 154,410 to 162,440, reflecting a growth of 5.2%. However, when adjusted for population growth, the proportion of 'Hunters' per 100,000 people decreased by 3.79%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #153 | #160 | -4.58% |
| Count | 154,410 | 162,440 | 5.2% |
| Proportion per 100k | 57.24 | 55.07 | -3.79% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Hunter
In terms of ethnic identity, data from the Decennial U.S. Census reveals a slight shift over the decade. The percentage of 'Hunters' identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and those reporting two or more races increased by 20.00% and 40.64% respectively. Conversely, there was a 3.4% decline in the proportion of 'Hunters' who identified as White, while the proportion identifying as Hispanic saw an increase of 56.49%. The percentage of 'Hunters' identifying as Black experienced a slight rise of 1.21%, whereas those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native also increased, though only by 5.15%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 62.92% | 60.78% | -3.4% |
| Black | 32.3% | 32.69% | 1.21% |
| Two or More Races | 1.87% | 2.63% | 40.64% |
| Hispanic | 1.54% | 2.41% | 56.49% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.97% | 1.02% | 5.15% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.4% | 0.48% | 20% |
Hunter 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 Hunter is British & Irish, which comprises 51.9% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (20.4%) and Nigerian (4.5%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Scandinavian, Ghanaian, Liberian & Sierra Leonean, Italian, and Spanish & Portuguese.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 51.9% |
| French & German | 20.4% |
| Nigerian | 4.5% |
| Other | 23.3% |
Possible origins of the surname Hunter
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 Hunter have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 82.80% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 82.50% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 82.50% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 82.30% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 82.00% |
What Hunter 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 Hunter is R-CTS241, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-CTS241 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-L48 and R-L21, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Wilson, Taylor, Smith, Thompson, Robinson, Brown, Mitchell, Cooper, Clark, White.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Hunter surname are: H1, T2b, 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 Hunter 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.
"Hunter" Surname 44.7%
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.
"Hunter" Surname 25.3%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Hunter" Surname 23.9%
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.
"Hunter" Surname 17.9%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Hunter?
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 Hunter are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition