Explore the Family Name Ismail
The meaning of Ismail
Arabic: from a personal name, ’Ismāʿīl, corresponding to Biblical Ishmael. In Islam, this is the name of a prophet, son of Ibrahim (Abraham) and his second wife Hajar (Hagar). Compare Esmail and Ismael. History: Arabs believe that Ismail (Ishmael) was the founder of the Arab peoples, and for this reason Arabs are sometimes referred to as Ishmaelites. The term Ismaeli is of much more recent origin; it refers to a sect of Shiite Muslims headed by the Aga Khan, who claim descent from the Fatimid dynasty that ruled Egypt and North Africa from 909 to 1171. They take their name from Ismāʿīl al-Ṣiddiq (699–765), a son of the sixth Shiite imam, because they believe that the divine spirit passed to him and not to his brother Mūsā. Some characteristic forenames: Arabic/Muslim Mohammed, Mohamed, Mohammad, Ali, Ismail, Mohamad, Ahmed, Hassan, Ahmad, Ibrahim, Muhammad, Tarek.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Ismail in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Ismail experienced a significant increase in popularity between 2000 and 2010. Originally ranked at 8090 in 2000, it had risen to 5668 by 2010, representing a change of 29.94%. The count of individuals with this surname also grew substantially from 3775 to 6126, an increase of 62.28%. This meant that for every 100,000 people, there were 1.4 named Ismail in 2000, which rose to 2.08 in 2010, marking a rise of 48.57%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #8,090 | #5,668 | 29.94% |
| Count | 3,775 | 6,126 | 62.28% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.4 | 2.08 | 48.57% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Ismail
Concerning ethnicity, the data from the Decennial U.S. Census shows intriguing changes between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, the largest ethnic identity group among those with the surname Ismail was White at 40.79%, followed by Asian/Pacific Islander at 23.95%, and Black at 12.98%. By 2010, although the White group remained the largest at 44.07% (an increase of 8.04%), the Black population had dramatically increased to 25.40%, showing a remarkable surge of 95.69%. Meanwhile, the representation of Asian/Pacific Islanders decreased to 22.51%, and the Two or more races category dropped significantly from 19.63% to 5.57%. Hispanic representation slightly decreased from 2.46% to 2.22%, while American Indian and Alaskan Native representation slightly rose from 0.19% to 0.23%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 40.79% | 44.07% | 8.04% |
| Black | 12.98% | 25.4% | 95.69% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 23.95% | 22.51% | -6.01% |
| Two or More Races | 19.63% | 5.57% | -71.63% |
| Hispanic | 2.46% | 2.22% | -9.76% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.19% | 0.23% | 21.05% |
Ismail 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 Ismail is Egyptian, which comprises 17.2% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are Northern Indian & Pakistani (12.8%) and Levantine (11.3%). Additional ancestries include Iranian, Caucasian & Mesopotamian, Somali, Indonesian, Thai, Khmer & Myanma, British & Irish, and Sudanese.
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 |
|---|---|
| Egyptian | 17.2% |
| Northern Indian & Pakistani | 12.8% |
| Levantine | 11.3% |
| Other | 58.6% |
Possible origins of the surname Ismail
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 Ismail have recent ancestry locations spanning a few countries, mostly in Lebanon, and Pakistan.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Beirut Governorate, Lebanon | 13.20% |
| Punjab, Pakistan | 12.60% |
| North Governorate, Lebanon | 12.00% |
| South Governorate, Lebanon | 12.00% |
| Beqaa Governorate, Lebanon | 11.40% |
What Ismail 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 Ismail is J-CTS5368, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup J-CTS5368 is descended from haplogroup J-M304. Other common haplogroups include J-L26 and E-V32, which are predominantly found among people with European and Sub-Saharan African ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Hussein, Hassan, Ibrahim, Ali, Aziz, Ahmed, Said, Abbas, Habib, Ahmad.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Ismail surname are: M, U2_3_4_7_8_9, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins J-M304
Your paternal lineage may be linked to men who spread the Semitic languages
Men carrying the J-M267 lineage took part in many waves of migrations over the millennia, and domesticated animals and plants weren't the only things they carried. They may also have been among the communities that spread the Semitic languages, a diverse group that bloomed from a single proto-Semitic tongue in the Levant nearly 5,750 years ago. These men likely carried branches of both haplogroup J and of the Semitic language family through the Arabian Peninsula to the Horn of Africa. Still later, some J-M267-bearing men re-expanded from the Arabian Peninsula back through the Middle East and across North Africa in migrations associated with the emergence and spread of Islam.
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 Ismail 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.
"Ismail" Surname 46.2%
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.
"Ismail" Surname 19.2%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Ismail" Surname 26.5%
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.
"Ismail" Surname 12.6%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Ismail?
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 Ismail are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition