Explore the Family Name Karas
The meaning of Karas
1. Polish (Karaś) and Jewish (eastern Ashkenazic; also Karaś); Ukrainian, Belorussian, Czech, Slovak, Croatian, Slovenian, and Sorbian: from Polish karaś, other Slavic karas ‘crucian carp (Carassius vulgaris)’, hence a metonymic occupational name for a carp fisher or possibly a nickname for someone thought to resemble the fish. As a Jewish name it is mainly artificial. Compare Caras, Karasch, and Karras. 2. Hungarian: topographic name for someone living by the Karas river, a tributary of the Danube, named with Turkish kara ‘black’. 3. Americanized form of Hungarian Kárász, a cognate of 1 above. 4. Greek: nickname for a dark-haired or gloomy individual, from karas ‘black, dark’ (and by extension ‘moody’), from Turkish kara ‘black’. It can also be a shortened form of any of numerous compound surnames such as Karageorgiou (patronymic from a nickname meaning ‘Black George’) and Karagiannis ‘Black John’. Compare Caras, Kara, and Karras. 5. German: from a short form of the personal name Zacharias or of Greek Makarios ‘blessed’, a Christian saint’s name.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Karas in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Karas has seen a noticeable increase from 2000 to 2010. In terms of rank, it rose from 6406 to 5890 during this period, reflecting an 8.05% increase. The count of individuals with the Karas surname also climbed from 4894 in 2000 to 5858 in 2010, equating to a significant 19.7% growth. The proportion of the U.S. population with this surname per 100k people also escalated from 1.81 to 1.99, marking a 9.94% rise.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #6,406 | #5,890 | 8.05% |
| Count | 4,894 | 5,858 | 19.7% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.81 | 1.99 | 9.94% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Karas
The Decennial U.S. Census data also provides insights into the ethnic identity associated with the surname Karas. Between 2000 and 2010, there was substantial growth in the percentage of those identifying as Hispanic and Asian/Pacific Islander, with increases of 324.39% and 291.11%, respectively. Likewise, the percentage of individuals identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native more than doubled, rising by 125%. Those identifying as two or more races also saw a slight uptick of 6.25%. Conversely, the proportion of individuals identifying as white dropped by 5.63%, while the percentage of those identifying as black decreased by 22.86%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 96.73% | 91.28% | -5.63% |
| Hispanic | 1.23% | 5.22% | 324.39% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.45% | 1.76% | 291.11% |
| Two or More Races | 1.12% | 1.19% | 6.25% |
| Black | 0.35% | 0.27% | -22.86% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.12% | 0.27% | 125% |
Karas 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 Karas is British & Irish, which comprises 22.9% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (22.5%) and Eastern European (20.0%). Additional ancestries include Greek & Balkan, Italian, Ashkenazi Jewish, Scandinavian, and Iranian, Caucasian & Mesopotamian.
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 |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 22.9% |
| French & German | 22.5% |
| Eastern European | 20.0% |
| Other | 34.6% |
Possible origins of the surname Karas
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 Karas have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 51.90% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 51.90% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 51.90% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 51.10% |
| West Yorkshire, United Kingdom | 51.10% |
What Karas 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 Karas is R-L260, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-L260 is descended from haplogroup R-M420. Other common haplogroups include E-V13 and J-M172, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Novotny, Baran, Kovach, Sabo, Bach, Duda, Kiss, Zielinski, Gorski, Wilk.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Karas surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M420Your 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 Karas 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.
"Karas" Surname 37.0%
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.
"Karas" Surname 21.6%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Karas" Surname 16.3%
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.
"Karas" Surname 15.5%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Karas?
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 Karas are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition