Explore the Family Name Ledford
The meaning of Ledford
English: habitational name, probably from either of two places called Lydford, in Devon and Somerset. The first is named with the river name Lyd (from Old English hl̄de ‘noisy stream’) + Old English ford, i.e. ‘ford over the Lyd river’. Lydford in Somerset was named ‘ford over the noisy stream’, from Old English hl̄de + ford.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Ledford in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Ledford has experienced a slight decline between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, the surname ranked 1807 in terms of prevalence but dropped to 1946 by 2010, indicating a decrease of 7.69%. Despite this shift in ranking, the actual count of individuals with the surname Ledford increased by 1.47%, from 18,264 in 2000 to 18,532 in 2010. However, the proportion per 100k people decreased by 7.24% during the same period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,807 | #1,946 | -7.69% |
| Count | 18,264 | 18,532 | 1.47% |
| Proportion per 100k | 6.77 | 6.28 | -7.24% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Ledford
When it comes to the ethnic identity associated with the surname Ledford, data from the Decennial U.S. Census shows some interesting shifts between 2000 and 2010. The highest percentage of Ledfords identified as White in both years, though the proportion decreased slightly from 94.15% in 2000 to 92.70% in 2010. Meanwhile, the percentage of Ledfords identifying as Hispanic saw the largest increase, rising by 73.33% over the decade. Additionally, those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander, Black, and American Indian and Alaskan Native also saw increases in their proportions, with changes of 18.75%, 12.44%, and 11.5% respectively. Individuals claiming two or more races also rose from 1.33% to 1.65%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 94.15% | 92.7% | -1.54% |
| Black | 2.17% | 2.44% | 12.44% |
| Two or More Races | 1.33% | 1.65% | 24.06% |
| Hispanic | 0.9% | 1.56% | 73.33% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 1.13% | 1.26% | 11.5% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.32% | 0.38% | 18.75% |
Ledford 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 Ledford is British & Irish, which comprises 63.0% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (20.1%) and Italian (2.4%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Eastern European, Spanish & Portuguese, Indigenous American, and Nigerian.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 63.0% |
| French & German | 20.1% |
| Italian | 2.4% |
| Other | 14.5% |
Possible origins of the surname Ledford
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 Ledford have recent ancestry locations all within United Kingdom.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 92.40% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 92.40% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 92.40% |
| Lancashire, United Kingdom | 92.40% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 92.10% |
What Ledford 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 Ledford is R-Z282, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-Z282 is descended from haplogroup R-M420. Other common haplogroups include R-M417 and R-CTS241, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Orr, Wasson, Sample, Morrill, Cory, Settle, Steelman, Ellington, Hanks, Kempton.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Ledford surname are: T2b, H, H1. 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 Ledford 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.
"Ledford" Surname 34.3%
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.
"Ledford" Surname 26.5%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Ledford" 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.
"Ledford" Surname 20.9%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Ledford?
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 Ledford are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition