Explore the Family Name Leahy
The meaning of Leahy
Irish: from Ó Laochdha ‘descendant of Laochdha’, a personal name based on laoch ‘hero’. The Anglicized form Lahey was also used for Ó Fhlaithimh (see Laffey), which could be so pronounced. Compare Lahaie and Lahaye. Some characteristic forenames: Irish Brendan, Clancy, Conn, Connor, Kevin Patrick, Niall, Thomas Patrick.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Leahy in the United States?
The surname Leahy, based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, saw a slight decrease in popularity rank from 2000 to 2010, moving from 3,144th to 3,280th place, marking a 4.33% change. The actual count of individuals with this surname, however, increased by 4.75%, growing from 10,515 to 11,014. Consequently, the proportion of individuals named Leahy per 100,000 people slightly decreased by -4.36%, shifting from 3.9 to 3.73.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #3,144 | #3,280 | -4.33% |
| Count | 10,515 | 11,014 | 4.75% |
| Proportion per 100k | 3.9 | 3.73 | -4.36% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Leahy
In terms of ethnicity, the Leahy surname has seen some interesting shifts between 2000 and 2010. Still based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the largest group identifying with the Leahy surname remains those of White ethnic identity, though their proportion did decrease slightly from 96.23% to 95.41%. Meanwhile, the Hispanic representation within this surname rose significantly by 53.42%, from 1.46% to 2.24%. Those of Asian/Pacific Islander descent also saw an increase by 34.04%, making up 0.63% of the Leahy surname bearers in 2010, compared to 0.47% in 2000. However, the proportions of those identifying as Two or More Races, Black, and American Indian and Alaskan Native declined.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 96.23% | 95.41% | -0.85% |
| Hispanic | 1.46% | 2.24% | 53.42% |
| Two or More Races | 1.28% | 1.21% | -5.47% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.47% | 0.63% | 34.04% |
| Black | 0.32% | 0.3% | -6.25% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.23% | 0.21% | -8.7% |
Leahy 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 Leahy is British & Irish, which comprises 63.9% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (13.3%) and Italian (5.4%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Scandinavian, Spanish & Portuguese, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Greek & Balkan.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 63.9% |
| French & German | 13.3% |
| Italian | 5.4% |
| Other | 17.3% |
Possible origins of the surname Leahy
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 Leahy have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 90.60% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 90.60% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 90.60% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 90.60% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 90.30% |
What Leahy 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 Leahy is R-A806, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-A806 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-CTS241 and R-L21, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Mulcahy, O'Connor, Lynch, Connors, Conner, Mahoney, Griffiths, Courtney, Davies.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Leahy 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 Leahy 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.
"Leahy" Surname 37.0%
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.
"Leahy" Surname 20.8%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Leahy" Surname 20.6%
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.
"Leahy" Surname 18.5%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Leahy?
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 Leahy are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition