Explore the Family Name Kersey
The meaning of Kersey
English (Suffolk): habitational name from Kersey in Suffolk. The placename derives from Old English cærse ‘cress’ + ēg ‘island’.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Kersey in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Kersey has seen a slight dip in popularity over the decade from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, Kersey ranked 4087th and by 2010 it had dropped slightly to 4189th, a change of -2.5%. However, despite the lower rank, the number of individuals with the surname Kersey actually grew during this period. The census showed that there were 8,021 people with this surname in 2000, which increased to 8,459 in 2010 – a rise of nearly 5.46%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #4,087 | #4,189 | -2.5% |
| Count | 8,021 | 8,459 | 5.46% |
| Proportion per 100k | 2.97 | 2.87 | -3.37% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Kersey
The Decennial U.S. Census also provides insight into the ethnic identity associated with the surname Kersey. The majority of people with this surname identified as White in both 2000 and 2010 (84.49% and 82.31%, respectively). The percentage of those identifying as Black also saw a modest increase from 11.67% in 2000 to 12.29% in 2010. Notably, individuals of Asian/Pacific Islander and Hispanic ethnicity who bear this surname saw significant increases of 45.24% and 57.04%, respectively. Interestingly, the proportion of those identifying as Two or more races more than doubled from 1.32% to 2.07% during the same period. Conversely, the proportion of people with the surname Kersey identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native decreased by almost 30% from 2000 to 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 84.49% | 82.31% | -2.58% |
| Black | 11.67% | 12.29% | 5.31% |
| Hispanic | 1.42% | 2.23% | 57.04% |
| Two or More Races | 1.32% | 2.07% | 56.82% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.42% | 0.61% | 45.24% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.67% | 0.47% | -29.85% |
Kersey 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 Kersey is British & Irish, which comprises 60.1% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (20.2%) and Scandinavian (2.7%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Italian, Nigerian, Ghanaian, Liberian & Sierra Leonean, and Spanish & Portuguese.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 60.1% |
| French & German | 20.2% |
| Scandinavian | 2.7% |
| Other | 17.0% |
Possible origins of the surname Kersey
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 Kersey have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 89.20% |
| Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom | 89.20% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 89.20% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 89.20% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 88.60% |
What Kersey 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 Kersey is R-Y4010, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-Y4010 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-CTS241 and R-P312, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Corbett, Hennessy, O'Neil, Fenton, Grose, Pascoe, Maloney, Ramsey, Sanders, Frantz.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Kersey 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 Kersey 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.
"Kersey" Surname 54.2%
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.
"Kersey" Surname 19.0%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Kersey" Surname 29.5%
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.
"Kersey" Surname 21.6%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Kersey?
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 Kersey are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition