Explore the Family Name Israel
The meaning of Israel
1. Jewish, German, Welsh, English, Haitian, and African (mainly Nigeria and Tanzania): from the Hebrew personal name Yisra’el, in German and English Israel ‘Fighter of God’. In the Bible this is a byname bestowed on Jacob after he had wrestled with the angel at the ford of Jabbok (Genesis 32:24–8). In Germany, it was used as a personal name in the Middle Ages among Christians, too, and in Wales and southern England it was used among Nonconformists from the 17th century onward. 2. Jewish: surname adopted by Jews with reference to the ancient Kingdom of Israel, destroyed by the Assyrians in 721 BC, or to the concept of Jewish nationhood, or, in modern times, to the state of Israel. 3. Altered form of English Ezell. Some characteristic forenames: Jewish Hyman, Faina, Shimon, Avi, Ehud, Elihu, Gerson, Isadore, Merav, Meyer.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Israel in the United States?
According to the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname 'Israel' saw a slight decrease in ranking from 2000 to 2010, moving from 3476 to 3488, reflecting a change of -0.35%. However, the total count of people bearing the surname increased by approximately 9% over the same period, from 9401 individuals in 2000 to 10245 in 2010. The proportion per 100k population remained virtually stable with a minor decrement of -0.29%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #3,476 | #3,488 | -0.35% |
| Count | 9,401 | 10,245 | 8.98% |
| Proportion per 100k | 3.48 | 3.47 | -0.29% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Israel
In terms of ethnicity, data based on the Decennial U.S. Census shows that the majority of people with the surname 'Israel' identified as White, although this group decreased by about 7.76% between 2000 and 2010. The second largest group was Black, which saw significant growth of 33.70% within the same time frame. Those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and Hispanic also saw increases in representation, at rates of 15.50% and 20.26% respectively. Interestingly, while those identifying as Two or more races decreased by -22.08%, the American Indian and Alaskan Native category saw a considerable increase, at a rate of 41.67%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 75.9% | 70.01% | -7.76% |
| Black | 14.69% | 19.64% | 33.7% |
| Hispanic | 3.8% | 4.57% | 20.26% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 2.71% | 3.13% | 15.5% |
| Two or More Races | 2.31% | 1.8% | -22.08% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.6% | 0.85% | 41.67% |
Israel 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 Israel is British & Irish, which comprises 33.3% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are Ashkenazi Jewish (24.5%) and French & German (15.6%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, Nigerian, and Scandinavian.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 33.3% |
| Ashkenazi Jewish | 24.5% |
| French & German | 15.6% |
| Other | 26.5% |
Possible origins of the surname Israel
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 Israel have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 55.60% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 55.60% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 55.60% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 54.90% |
| Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom | 54.60% |
What Israel 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 Israel is J-L70, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup J-L70 is descended from haplogroup J-M304. Other common haplogroups include R-M417 and R-U152, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Schwartz, Weiss, Klein, Frank, Berger, Stein, Kaufman, Simon, Blank, Stern.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Israel surname are: K1a1b1a, H1, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins J-M304Your 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 Israel 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.
"Israel" Surname 37.5%
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.
"Israel" Surname 23.9%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Israel" Surname 12.9%
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.
"Israel" Surname 17.2%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Israel?
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 Israel are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition