Explore the Family Name Jolly
The meaning of Jolly
English, Scottish, and French: nickname for someone of a cheerful or attractive disposition, from Middle English, Old French jolif, joli ‘cheerful, lively, pretty’. In North America, this surname is also an altered form of the most common French variant Joly.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Jolly in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname 'Jolly' has seen some fluctuation in its popularity over a decade. In 2000, Jolly ranked 2,198th and by 2010, it slid down to 2,306th, marking a decline of 4.91%. Despite this drop in rank, the actual count of people with the surname Jolly increased by 4.36%, going from 15,166 in 2000 to 15,827 in 2010. The proportion per 100,000 also experienced a slight decrease of 4.45% during the same period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,198 | #2,306 | -4.91% |
| Count | 15,166 | 15,827 | 4.36% |
| Proportion per 100k | 5.62 | 5.37 | -4.45% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Jolly
The Decennial U.S. Census also provides insights into the ethnic identity associated with the surname 'Jolly'. By 2010, there was an increase in diversity compared to 2000. The Asian/Pacific Islander representation rose by 44.63%, while those identifying as two or more races saw an increase of 45.69%. However, the largest ethnic identity growth was among Hispanics, registering a 76.98% change. The White population still constituted the majority, although it decreased slightly by 4.10%. The Black ethnicity saw an increase of 5.76%, while the American Indian and Alaskan Native category witnessed a decline of 13.11%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 78% | 74.8% | -4.1% |
| Black | 17.2% | 18.19% | 5.76% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 1.77% | 2.56% | 44.63% |
| Hispanic | 1.26% | 2.23% | 76.98% |
| Two or More Races | 1.16% | 1.69% | 45.69% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.61% | 0.53% | -13.11% |
Jolly 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 Jolly is British & Irish, which comprises 55.6% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (21.3%) and Scandinavian (3.6%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Northern Indian & Pakistani, Nigerian, Spanish & Portuguese, and Italian.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 55.6% |
| French & German | 21.3% |
| Scandinavian | 3.6% |
| Other | 19.5% |
Possible origins of the surname Jolly
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 Jolly have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 84.80% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 84.80% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 84.80% |
| Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom | 84.80% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 84.80% |
What Jolly 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 Jolly is R-U152, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-U152 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-M167 and R-L2, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Kuhn, Schaffer, Parish, Weber, Jolley, Dennis, Keller, Vogel, Conrad, Bowers.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Jolly 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 Jolly 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.
"Jolly" Surname 28.2%
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.
"Jolly" Surname 26.3%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Jolly" Surname 21.6%
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.
"Jolly" Surname 20.8%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Jolly?
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 Jolly are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition