Explore the Family Name Lister
The meaning of Lister
English: occupational name for a dyer of cloth, Middle English li(te)ster, a derivative of Middle English lit(t)en (Old Norse lita) ‘to dye’. This term was used principally in East Anglia and northern and eastern England (areas of Scandinavian settlement), and to this day the surname is found principally in these regions, especially in Yorkshire.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Lister in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Lister has seen a slight decline in its rank, going from 4158th popular name in the year 2000 to the 4250th in 2010 — a change of -2.21%. However, the number of individuals with this surname increased during the same period from 7891 to 8350 people, reflecting a growth rate of 5.82%. Consequently, the proportion of individuals with this surname per 100,000 people slightly decreased by -3.41%, moving from 2.93 to 2.83.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #4,158 | #4,250 | -2.21% |
| Count | 7,891 | 8,350 | 5.82% |
| Proportion per 100k | 2.93 | 2.83 | -3.41% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Lister
In terms of ethnic identity, data from the Decennial U.S. Census shows some shifts between 2000 and 2010. The proportion of Listers identifying as White decreased slightly from 79.55% to 78.66%, while those identifying as Black saw a marginal increase from 14.67% to 14.74%. The percentage of Listers identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian and Alaskan Native both decreased slightly. There was notable growth among those identifying as Hispanic, with an increase from 2.60% to 3.32%. Additionally, the percentage of Listers identifying with two or more races increased from 1.38% to 1.58%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 79.55% | 78.66% | -1.12% |
| Black | 14.67% | 14.74% | 0.48% |
| Hispanic | 2.6% | 3.32% | 27.69% |
| Two or More Races | 1.38% | 1.58% | 14.49% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 1.43% | 1.34% | -6.29% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.37% | 0.36% | -2.7% |
Lister 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 Lister is British & Irish, which comprises 55.2% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (21.8%) and Eastern European (3.1%). Additional ancestries include Spanish & Portuguese, Scandinavian, Nigerian, Indigenous American, and Italian.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 55.2% |
| French & German | 21.8% |
| Eastern European | 3.1% |
| Other | 19.8% |
Possible origins of the surname Lister
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 Lister have recent ancestry locations all within United Kingdom.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 85.40% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 85.40% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 85.00% |
| West Yorkshire, United Kingdom | 85.00% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 85.00% |
What Lister 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 Lister 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 I-Z58 and R-M467, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Lowe, Edwards, Porter, Shaw, Holloway, Fox, Dawson, Lynn, Reed, Phillips.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Lister 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 Lister 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.
"Lister" Surname 44.6%
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.
"Lister" Surname 28.6%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Lister" Surname 28.0%
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.
"Lister" Surname 11.8%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Lister?
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 Lister are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition