Explore the Family Name Islas
The meaning of Islas
Spanish: habitational name from a place called Islas (Málaga, Ciudad Real), or a topographic name meaning ‘from the islands’ (for example the Canary Islands), from the plural of isla ‘island’, from Latin insula. Compare Yslas. Some characteristic forenames: Spanish Jose, Francisco, Jesus, Jorge, Luis, Alfredo, Carlos, Juan, Mario, Ruben, Enrique, Guadalupe.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Islas in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Islas has seen significant growth from 2000 to 2010. The rank of this surname moved up from 5316 in 2000 to 3853 in 2010, a substantial climb of 27.52 percent. This shift coincides with an increase in the count of people bearing this surname, which rose from 6033 to 9200, a striking jump of 52.49 percent. Moreover, the proportion of individuals named Islas per 100,000 also surged by 39.29 percent during this decade.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #5,316 | #3,853 | 27.52% |
| Count | 6,033 | 9,200 | 52.49% |
| Proportion per 100k | 2.24 | 3.12 | 39.29% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Islas
The Decennial U.S. Census information about the ethnic identity associated with the surname Islas indicates some changes between 2000 and 2010. The majority of those carrying the surname identified as Hispanic, with little change over the period, shifting insignificantly from 94.63 percent to 94.54 percent. There was a noteworthy increase in those identifying as Black, jumping from 0.27 percent to 0.54 percent. Meanwhile, there was a decline of 69.09 percent of those claiming two or more races. For those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander, White, and American Indian and Alaskan Native, there were minor changes, with a small rise for the Whites (4.03 percent to 4.30 percent), a slight increase for the Asian/Pacific Islanders (0.30 percent to 0.34 percent), and a decrease for the American Indian and Alaskan Natives (0.23 percent to 0.10 percent).
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic | 94.63% | 94.54% | -0.1% |
| White | 4.03% | 4.3% | 6.7% |
| Black | 0.27% | 0.54% | 100% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.3% | 0.34% | 13.33% |
| Two or More Races | 0.55% | 0.17% | -69.09% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.23% | 0.1% | -56.52% |
Islas 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 Islas is Spanish & Portuguese, which comprises 39.3% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are Indigenous American (35.5%) and British & Irish (6.5%). Additional ancestries include French & German, Eastern European, Filipino & Austronesian, Italian, and Ashkenazi Jewish.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Spanish & Portuguese | 39.3% |
| Indigenous American | 35.5% |
| British & Irish | 6.5% |
| Other | 18.7% |
Possible origins of the surname Islas
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 Islas have recent ancestry locations all within Mexico.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Aguascalientes, Mexico | 85.70% |
| Michoacan, Mexico | 85.70% |
| Zacatecas, Mexico | 85.70% |
| Baja California, Mexico | 85.70% |
| Tamaulipas, Mexico | 85.70% |
What Islas 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 Islas is J-L26, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup J-L26 is descended from haplogroup J-M304. Other common haplogroups include J-L24 and J-M172, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Betancourt, Otero, Schweizer, Defelice, Gregorio, Montgomery, Eades, Dziedzic, Nevin, Newbold.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Islas surname are: A2, H, B2. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins J-M304Your maternal lineage may be linked to some of the first Americans
Though the Ice Age was beginning to retreat when your A2 ancestors first entered North America, there were still massive barriers blocking their way. Glaciers and inhospitable climate covered much of the continent, blocking entry into the interior. Nonetheless, researchers have found evidence that a wave of American founders migrated over 13,000 kilometers to reach southern Chile in only 2,000 years, a blink of an eye in the story of human migration! Their highway to the south was the coast of the Pacific, stocked with fish, diverse marine mammals, and other valuable resources in the rich kelp forests of the upper latitudes and in the abundant fresh-water rivers near the equator. Because of this rapid movement south, the A2 haplogroup and its diverse branches are found throughout North and South America.
What do people with the surname Islas 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.
"Islas" Surname 30.4%
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.
"Islas" Surname 45.5%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Islas" Surname 17.1%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Islas?
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 Islas are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition