Explore the Family Name Last
The meaning of Last
1. English (East Anglia): metonymic occupational name for a cobbler or a maker of cobblers’ lasts (wooden moulds used by shoemakers). Compare Laster. 2. English: nickname from Middle English last ‘the last, the latest (one)’. The application of this nickname is unclear. 3. German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): metonymic occupational name for a porter, from Middle High German last; German Last or Yiddish last ‘burden, load’.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Last in the United States?
According to the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname "Last" has slightly declined over the decade between 2000 and 2010. In the year 2000, "Last" was ranked as 15,125th most popular surname in the U.S., and by 2010, it had dropped to 15,922nd position, a decrease of 5.27%. However, interestingly, the actual count of people with this surname increased from 1,789 in 2000 to 1,825 in 2010, a growth of 2.01%. Despite that, its proportion per 100,000 population decreased by 6.06%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #15,125 | #15,922 | -5.27% |
| Count | 1,789 | 1,825 | 2.01% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.66 | 0.62 | -6.06% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Last
The ethnicity profile associated with the surname "Last" also shows some shifts, as indicated by the data from the Decennial U.S. Census. In 2000, the majority of those bearing the name were identified as White (95.81%), and this remained largely unchanged in 2010 even though there was a slight decrease to 92.66%. The percentage of Asian/Pacific Islanders with this surname was 0.73% in 2000 but was recorded as suppressed in 2010. Over the decade, the percentage of Hispanic individuals with this surname significantly grew from 1.62% to 3.45%, a change of 112.96%. There was also an increase in Black representation from 0.95% to 1.32% and introduction of individuals identifying with two or more races at 1.26% in 2010. No American Indian and Alaskan Natives were identified with this surname in either census.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 95.81% | 92.66% | -3.29% |
| Hispanic | 1.62% | 3.45% | 112.96% |
| Black | 0.95% | 1.32% | 38.95% |
| Two or More Races | 0% | 1.26% | 0% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.73% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Last 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 Last is British & Irish, which comprises 42.4% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (23.6%) and Ashkenazi Jewish (7.8%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Scandinavian, Chinese, Italian, and Spanish & Portuguese.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 42.4% |
| French & German | 23.6% |
| Ashkenazi Jewish | 7.8% |
| Other | 26.1% |
Possible origins of the surname Last
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 Last have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 68.90% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 68.90% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 68.90% |
| Belfast, United Kingdom | 68.90% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 68.90% |
What Last 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 Last is R-CTS241, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-CTS241 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include E-L677 and J-L26, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Brett, Hock, Moon, Fair, Sherman, Dix, Symons, Prince, Reese, Harley.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Last surname are: H1, J1c, 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 Last 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.
"Last" Surname 56.5%
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.
"Last" Surname 17.2%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Last" Surname 26.7%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Cat Allergy
An allergic reaction to cats, characterized by symptoms such as sneezing, itching, and difficulty breathing.
"Last" Surname 45.5%
23andMe Users 36.7%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Last?
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 Last are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition