Explore the Family Name Link
The meaning of Link
1. German, Dutch, and Jewish (Ashkenazic): nickname for a left-handed person, from Middle High German linc, Dutch linker, links, Yiddish link ‘left (side)’. In Europe left-handed people were long regarded with suspicion as clumsy, awkward, deviant, and even untrustworthy. 2. English: variant of Lynch. Compare Lynk.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Link in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname "Link" has seen a slight decrease in popularity from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, it was ranked as the 1534th most popular surname, while in 2010, it dropped to the 1627th spot, representing a 6.06% decrease. Despite this, the number of people with the "Link" surname increased slightly from 21,553 in 2000 to 22,137 in 2010, a growth of 2.71%. The proportion of the population with this surname per 100,000 people also declined by 6.13%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,534 | #1,627 | -6.06% |
| Count | 21,553 | 22,137 | 2.71% |
| Proportion per 100k | 7.99 | 7.5 | -6.13% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Link
Regarding ethnic identity, Decennial U.S. Census data shows that a majority of individuals with the surname "Link" identify as White, although there has been a minor decline from 92.56% in 2000 to 91.24% in 2010. There has been an increase in those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander (from 0.54% to 0.81%) and Hispanic (from 1.12% to 1.82%). Those identifying as Black saw a small increase from 4.26% to 4.35%. The number of people identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native remained stagnant at 0.41%, and there was a rise among those claiming two or more races from 1.10% to 1.36%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 92.56% | 91.24% | -1.43% |
| Black | 4.26% | 4.35% | 2.11% |
| Hispanic | 1.12% | 1.82% | 62.5% |
| Two or More Races | 1.1% | 1.36% | 23.64% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.54% | 0.81% | 50% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.41% | 0.41% | 0% |
Link 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 Link is British & Irish, which comprises 40.8% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (33.3%) and Eastern European (7.5%). Additional ancestries include Italian, Scandinavian, Ashkenazi Jewish, Spanish & Portuguese, and Greek & Balkan.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 40.8% |
| French & German | 33.3% |
| Eastern European | 7.5% |
| Other | 18.4% |
Possible origins of the surname Link
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 Link have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 80.10% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 80.10% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 80.10% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 79.90% |
| West Yorkshire, United Kingdom | 79.30% |
What Link 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 Link is J-L283, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup J-L283 is descended from haplogroup J-M304. Other common haplogroups include E-V13 and R-P297, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Schmidt, Hoffman, Bauer, Schaefer, Keller, Hoffmann, Kaiser, Wolf, Kern, Kramer.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Link surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins J-M304Your 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 Link 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.
"Link" Surname 47.8%
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.
"Link" Surname 30.2%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Link" Surname 17.4%
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.
"Link" Surname 17.7%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Link?
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 Link are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition