Explore the Family Name Lemos

The meaning of Lemos

Galician and Portuguese: habitational name from a place in Lugo province, Galicia (Spain). The placename is probably from the Celtic element lemos, limos ‘elm’. Some characteristic forenames: Spanish Carlos, Jose, Manuel, Francisco, Marcos, Ruben, Alvaro, Armando, Bernardo, Guadalupe, Jaime, Jesus. Portuguese Afonso, Duarte, Joaquim, Marcio.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Lemos in the United States?

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Lemos has shown an increase in popularity in the United States between the years 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Lemos was ranked as the 6,820th most popular surname, but by 2010 it had risen to the 6,579th position, signifying a growth rate of approximately 3.53%. Similarly, the count of individuals bearing the Lemos surname also increased from 4,547 in 2000 to 5,147 in 2010, marking a substantial rise of 13.2%. The proportion of the surname per 100,000 people also saw an uptick, increasing from 1.69 in 2000 to 1.74 in 2010, a growth of roughly 2.96%.

20002010Change
Rank#6,820#6,5793.53%
Count4,5475,14713.2%
Proportion per 100k1.691.742.96%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Lemos

The ethnic identity associated with the surname Lemos also saw some shifts between 2000 and 2010 according to the Decennial U.S. Census. The Hispanic ethnicity held the majority with 56.56% in 2000, which slightly rose to 58.23% in 2010. The White ethnicity remained relatively stable with a minute increase from 38.29% to 38.33%. The Black ethnicity, though a minor portion, experienced a significant surge from 0.68% to 0.89%. The Asian/Pacific Islander group saw a slight decrease from 1.19% to 1.17%. Those identifying with two or more races witnessed a major drop of 69.40%, going down from 2.68% to 0.82%. Lastly, the American Indian and Alaskan Native category reported a reduction from 0.59% to 0.56%.

20002010Change
Hispanic56.56%58.23%2.95%
White38.29%38.33%0.1%
Asian/Pacific Islander1.19%1.17%-1.68%
Black0.68%0.89%30.88%
Two or More Races2.68%0.82%-69.4%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0.59%0.56%-5.08%

Lemos 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 Lemos is Spanish & Portuguese, which comprises 47.9% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (14.1%) and Indigenous American (12.2%). Additional ancestries include French & German, Italian, Eastern European, Scandinavian, and Angolan & Congolese.

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ANCESTRY BREAKDOWNCOMPOSITION
Spanish & Portuguese47.9%
British & Irish14.1%
Indigenous American12.2%
Other25.8%
Lemos

Possible origins of the surname Lemos

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 Lemos have recent ancestry locations in Portugal and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

RECENT ANCESTRY LocationPercentage
Azores, Portugal39.00%
Madeira, Portugal39.00%
Aveiro District, Portugal37.70%
Lisbon, Portugal37.00%
Porto District, Portugal34.90%

What Lemos 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 Lemos is R-P311, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-P311 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-CTS241 and J-M172, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Sylvia, Dos Santos, Soares, Baez, Barros, Lozada, Pardo, Pereira, O'Neal, Gonsalves.

The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Lemos surname are: A2, H1, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.

lemosPaternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343

Your maternal lineage may be linked to some of the first Americans

Though the Ice Age was beginning to retreat when your A2 ancestors first entered North America, there were still massive barriers blocking their way. Glaciers and inhospitable climate covered much of the continent, blocking entry into the interior. Nonetheless, researchers have found evidence that a wave of American founders migrated over 13,000 kilometers to reach southern Chile in only 2,000 years, a blink of an eye in the story of human migration! Their highway to the south was the coast of the Pacific, stocked with fish, diverse marine mammals, and other valuable resources in the rich kelp forests of the upper latitudes and in the abundant fresh-water rivers near the equator. Because of this rapid movement south, the A2 haplogroup and its diverse branches are found throughout North and South America.

Maternal Haplo Image

What do people with the surname Lemos 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

Lemos

Chocolate Ice Cream

Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.

"Lemos" Surname 31.7%

23andMe Users 41.3%

Traits

Lemos

Misophonia

When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.

"Lemos" Surname 19.4%

23andMe Users 27.9%

Habits

Lemos

Sugary Drink

Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.

"Lemos" Surname 15.7%

23andMe Users 21.1%

Wellness

Lemos

Migraine

A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.

"Lemos" Surname 16.0%

23andMe Users 16.4%

Are health conditions linked to the last name Lemos?

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 Lemos are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition

Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Y402H variant

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of irreversible vision loss among older adults. The disease results in damage to the central part of the retina (the macula), impairing vision needed for reading, driving, or even recognizing faces. The 23andMe Health + Ancestry DNA test includes the two most common variants associated with an increased risk of developing the condition: the Y402H variant in the CFH gene and the A69S variant in the ARMS2 gene. Learn more about Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Spanish & Portuguese 56.3%

23andMe Users 57.2%