Explore the Family Name Kavanagh
The meaning of Kavanagh
Irish: from Caomhánach, an adjectival epithet meaning ‘belonging to (Saint) Caomhán’, whose personal name means ‘little beautiful one’. Etymologically, the first part of the name is the same as that in Kevin. History: The first known bearer of the epithet was Domhnall Caomhánach (Donal Kavanagh, died in 1175), the son of Diarmait Mac Murchadha (Dermot McMurrough), king of Leinster in the 12th century. Despite being killed at an early age, Domhnall Caomhánach gave his name to a large and important family in Irish history. Some characteristic forenames: Irish Aidan, Aileen, Brendan, Cathal, Conor, Eamon, Keelin, Liam, Michael Sean, Niall, Ronan, Sean Patrick.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Kavanagh in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the Kavanagh surname has experienced minor fluctuations in popularity over a decade. In 2000, it was the 6312th most common surname, with approximately 4969 individuals bearing it, representing a proportion of 1.84 per 100,000 people. By 2010, the surname had slightly dipped in rank to 6414th, despite an increase in count to roughly 5301 individuals, or a proportion of 1.8 per 100,000 people. This change represents a small decrease in popularity rank by 1.62% and an increase in count by 6.68%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #6,312 | #6,414 | -1.62% |
| Count | 4,969 | 5,301 | 6.68% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.84 | 1.8 | -2.17% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Kavanagh
Looking at the ethnic identity associated with the Kavanagh surname as per the Decennial U.S. Census, the majority of individuals identify as White, although there have been some changes over time. In 2000, 95.77% identified as White, which decreased to 93.57% in 2010. Meanwhile, those identifying as Hispanic and Black saw significant increases from 2000 to 2010, with the Hispanic group increasing from 1.13% to 2.21%, and the Black group from 1.07% to 1.89%. Additionally, slight increases were also observed among those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and those claiming two or more races. However, American Indian and Alaskan Native representation marginally decreased over this period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 95.77% | 93.57% | -2.3% |
| Hispanic | 1.13% | 2.21% | 95.58% |
| Black | 1.07% | 1.89% | 76.64% |
| Two or More Races | 1.15% | 1.28% | 11.3% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.74% | 0.92% | 24.32% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.14% | 0.13% | -7.14% |
Kavanagh 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 Kavanagh is British & Irish, which comprises 70.7% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (11.9%) and Italian (3.9%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Scandinavian, Spanish & Portuguese, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Greek & Balkan.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 70.7% |
| French & German | 11.9% |
| Italian | 3.9% |
| Other | 13.5% |
Possible origins of the surname Kavanagh
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 Kavanagh have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 89.30% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 89.30% |
| West Yorkshire, United Kingdom | 89.30% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 89.30% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 89.30% |
What Kavanagh 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 Kavanagh is R-Z255, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-Z255 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-L21 and R-CTS241, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Murphy, Foley, Cavanaugh, Doyle, Byrne, Byrnes, Toole, Mcmahon, Redmond, Geary.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Kavanagh surname are: H1, H, V. 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 Kavanagh 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.
"Kavanagh" Surname 44.4%
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.
"Kavanagh" Surname 32.0%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Kavanagh" Surname 20.3%
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.
"Kavanagh" Surname 17.2%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Kavanagh?
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 Kavanagh are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition