Explore the Family Name Kraft
The meaning of Kraft
German (also Kräft), Danish, Swedish, and Jewish (Ashkenazic): nickname for a strong man, from Old High German kraft, German Kraft ‘strength, power’. The Swedish name probably originated as a soldier’s name. In part, the German and Danish names possibly also derive from a late survival of the same word used as a byname, Old High German Chraft(o), Old Norse Kraptr. See also Craft and Croft.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Kraft in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Kraft has seen slight fluctuations in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Kraft was ranked as the 1528th most popular surname with a count of 21,579. However, by 2010, the rank had dropped to 1635 despite an increase in the total count to 22,035. This represents a popularity shift of -7.0 in rank although the actual number of individuals with the Kraft surname increased by 2.11%. The proportion per 100k people also decreased slightly during this time period, going from 8.0 to 7.47.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,528 | #1,635 | -7% |
| Count | 21,579 | 22,035 | 2.11% |
| Proportion per 100k | 8 | 7.47 | -6.63% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Kraft
When examining the ethnic identity associated with the Kraft surname, according to the Decennial U.S. Census, there are several significant changes over the 2000-2010 decade. The majority of individuals with the Kraft surname identify as White, accounting for 95.67% in 2000 and 94.30% in 2010, marking a decrease of 1.43%. The Hispanic identification increased by 46.36%, moving from 1.51% to 2.21%. Those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and Two or more races also saw increases, with rises of 29.63% and 50.00%, respectively. However, those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native saw a decline of 9.84%. Lastly, the percentage of those identifying as Black saw a small increase from 0.63% to 0.69%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 95.67% | 94.3% | -1.43% |
| Hispanic | 1.51% | 2.21% | 46.36% |
| Two or More Races | 1.04% | 1.56% | 50% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.54% | 0.7% | 29.63% |
| Black | 0.63% | 0.69% | 9.52% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.61% | 0.55% | -9.84% |
Kraft 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 Kraft is French & German, which comprises 36.8% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (30.4%) and Eastern European (8.8%). Additional ancestries include Ashkenazi Jewish, Scandinavian, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, and Indigenous American.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| French & German | 36.8% |
| British & Irish | 30.4% |
| Eastern European | 8.8% |
| Other | 24.0% |
Possible origins of the surname Kraft
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 Kraft have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 69.10% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 69.10% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 68.80% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 68.80% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 68.40% |
What Kraft 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 Kraft is R-CTS3402, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-CTS3402 is descended from haplogroup R-M420. Other common haplogroups include E-V13 and J-M410, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Schmidt, Hoffman, Snyder, Kramer, Schneider, Mueller, Schroeder, Meyer, Schultz, Wolf.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Kraft 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 Kraft 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.
"Kraft" Surname 39.2%
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.
"Kraft" Surname 28.3%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Kraft" Surname 23.4%
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.
"Kraft" Surname 15.5%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Kraft?
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 Kraft are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition