Explore the Family Name Kowal
The meaning of Kowal
1. Polish, Rusyn (from Poland), Sorbian, and Jewish (from Poland): occupational name for a blacksmith, Polish and Lower Sorbian kowal. In North America, this surname may also be a shortened form of any of various derivatives of Kowal, such as Polish Kowalczuk. Compare Koval. 2. Americanized form of Rusyn (from Slovakia) and Slovak Kovaľ, Ukrainian, Belorussian, Czech, and Jewish Koval, a cognate of 1 above. Some characteristic forenames: Polish Jerzy, Kazimierz, Stanislaw, Jaroslaw, Wasyl, Casimir, Danuta, Elzbieta, Ewa, Genowefa, Irena, Jacek.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Kowal in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Kowal has seen some fluctuations over a span of 10 years. In 2000, the surname held rank 7173 with a count of 4290 and a proportion per 100k of 1.59. However, by 2010, the surname's rank had dipped to 7658, marking a slight decrease in popularity of -6.76%. The total count of individuals carrying the surname increased slightly by 1.1% to 4337 in 2010, while its proportion per 100k individuals fell by -7.55%, standing at 1.47.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #7,173 | #7,658 | -6.76% |
| Count | 4,290 | 4,337 | 1.1% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.59 | 1.47 | -7.55% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Kowal
In terms of ethnic identity, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals a diverse spread for the surname Kowal. In 2000, those identifying as White made up the vast majority at 96.5%, slightly decreasing to 95.64% by 2010. Hispanic holders of the surname saw the most significant increase, jumping from 1.28% in 2000 to 2.03% in 2010, reflecting a change of 58.59%. Meanwhile, the percentage of those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander marginally increased from 0.63% to 0.69%, and those identifying with two or more races decreased slightly from 1.26% to 1.22%. New appearances in the 2010 data include Black at 0.30% and American Indian and Alaskan Native at 0.12%, which were not represented in the 2000 data.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 96.5% | 95.64% | -0.89% |
| Hispanic | 1.28% | 2.03% | 58.59% |
| Two or More Races | 1.26% | 1.22% | -3.17% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.63% | 0.69% | 9.52% |
| Black | 0% | 0.3% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0.12% | 0% |
Kowal 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 Kowal is Eastern European, which comprises 39.8% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (24.5%) and French & German (15.7%). Additional ancestries include Ashkenazi Jewish, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, Scandinavian, and Greek & Balkan.
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 |
|---|---|
| Eastern European | 39.8% |
| British & Irish | 24.5% |
| French & German | 15.7% |
| Other | 20.1% |
Possible origins of the surname Kowal
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 Kowal have recent ancestry locations in Poland and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Lesser Poland Voivodeship, Poland | 62.00% |
| Podkarpackie Voivodeship, Poland | 60.20% |
| Masovian Voivodeship, Poland | 60.20% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 55.60% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 55.60% |
What Kowal 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 Kowal is R-M417, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-M417 is descended from haplogroup R-M420. Other common haplogroups include R-CTS3402 and R-M405, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Wargo, Zajac, Sadowski, Koval, Hudak, Kwiatkowski, Michalski, Wojcik, Kowalczyk, Zalewski.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Kowal surname are: H1, K1a, 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 Kowal 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.
"Kowal" Surname 41.2%
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.
"Kowal" Surname 36.4%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Kowal" Surname 18.8%
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.
"Kowal" Surname 16.7%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Kowal?
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 Kowal are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition