Explore the Family Name Llewellyn
The meaning of Llewellyn
Welsh: from the personal name Llywelyn, derived from British Celtic Lugubelinos, itself from the divine name Lugus + an uncertain second element often used alone as a name. Through association with llew ‘lion’, it was altered to Llewelyn. This was the name of two princes of north Wales who held the Normans at bay for many years in the 13th century. Etymologically speaking, the form with a fourth -l- is an error, not found as an original Welsh name, but this is now much the most common spelling in the US.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Llewellyn in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Llewellyn has witnessed some changes in popularity between 2000 and 2010. The rank of the surname declined from 5544 to 5807, representing a drop of 4.74%. Despite this, the count, or total number of people with the Llewellyn surname, increased by 3.39% during the same time frame, rising from 5760 to 5955. However, the proportion per 100,000 population decreased by 5.61%, moving down from 2.14 to 2.02.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #5,544 | #5,807 | -4.74% |
| Count | 5,760 | 5,955 | 3.39% |
| Proportion per 100k | 2.14 | 2.02 | -5.61% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Llewellyn
The ethnic identity associated with the surname Llewellyn also showed several shifts as per the Decennial U.S. Census data. The largest increase was seen in the Hispanic category, which rose by 57.14% from 1.75 to 2.75. The Black ethnicity also saw a significant increase of 24.41%, jumping from 7.99 to 9.94. Meanwhile, the Asian/Pacific Islander group saw a rise of 21.28%. However, there were slight decreases in the categories of White and those identifying with two or more races. The most significant reduction was seen among the American Indian and Alaskan Native category, with a decline of 19.44%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 88.02% | 85.07% | -3.35% |
| Black | 7.99% | 9.94% | 24.41% |
| Hispanic | 1.75% | 2.75% | 57.14% |
| Two or More Races | 1.41% | 1.38% | -2.13% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.47% | 0.57% | 21.28% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.36% | 0.29% | -19.44% |
Llewellyn 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 Llewellyn is British & Irish, which comprises 56.9% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (21.9%) and Eastern European (4.2%). Additional ancestries include Italian, Scandinavian, Spanish & Portuguese, Nigerian, and Indigenous American.
Ready to learn more about your ancestry? Get the most comprehensive ancestry breakdown on the market by taking our DNA test. Shop 23andMe
| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 56.9% |
| French & German | 21.9% |
| Eastern European | 4.2% |
| Other | 16.9% |
Possible origins of the surname Llewellyn
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 Llewellyn have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 86.80% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 86.80% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 86.80% |
| Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom | 86.30% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 86.30% |
What Llewellyn 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 Llewellyn 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 R-M323.2 and R-P311, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Parham, Wren, Thomason, Rosser, Mclane, Findlay, Ingraham, Maxwell, Rowlands, Mears.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Llewellyn surname are: H1, J1c, 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 Llewellyn 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.
"Llewellyn" Surname 37.7%
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.
"Llewellyn" Surname 18.8%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Llewellyn" Surname 20.4%
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.
"Llewellyn" Surname 17.0%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Llewellyn?
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 Llewellyn are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition