Explore the Family Name Loftin
The meaning of Loftin
1. English (London): variant of Laughton 2. In the US, the surname Loftin is also found among African Americans. Compare Lofton and Loften 1. 2. Swedish: from an unidentified first element + the adjectival suffix -in, a derivative of Latin -in(i)us ‘relating to’. Compare Loften 2. History: The majority of the American Loftins are descendants of Leonard Loftin Sr from England, who was transported, aboard the ship West, to VA in 1636 to work on a plantation as an indentured servant. On the ship’s list of passengers he is recorded as Leonard Laughton. He died about 1658 in PA. His descendants also bear alternative forms of the surname Loftin, especially Lofton. The surname most commonly survives in England as Lofting (in 1881 chiefly in Middlesex).
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Loftin in the United States?
Based on the data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Loftin saw a slight dip in popularity between 2000 and 2010. Its rank shifted from 4963 to 5191 during this period, indicating a decline of approximately 4.59%. However, the total count of individuals with the surname increased by 3.65%, from 6502 in 2000 to 6739 in 2010. Despite this increase, the proportion per 100,000 people decreased by 5.39%, suggesting that while the overall population with this surname grew, it did not keep pace with the total U.S. population growth.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #4,963 | #5,191 | -4.59% |
| Count | 6,502 | 6,739 | 3.65% |
| Proportion per 100k | 2.41 | 2.28 | -5.39% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Loftin
The Decennial U.S. Census also provides information about the ethnic identity associated with the surname Loftin. Between 2000 and 2010, the percentage of Loftins identifying as White decreased by 2.64% to 77.22%. The proportion of those identifying as Black witnessed a marginal increase of 3.97%, bringing the total to 17.01%. Individuals identifying as Hispanic showed a significant increase of 39.64% over the decade, though they still only make up 2.36% of all Loftins. Meanwhile, those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and those reporting two or more races also saw increases, 2.38% and 62.42% respectively. The only decrease in this category was observed among American Indian and Alaskan Natives, which dropped by 22.22%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 79.31% | 77.22% | -2.64% |
| Black | 16.36% | 17.01% | 3.97% |
| Two or More Races | 1.49% | 2.42% | 62.42% |
| Hispanic | 1.69% | 2.36% | 39.64% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.72% | 0.56% | -22.22% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.42% | 0.43% | 2.38% |
Loftin 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 Loftin is British & Irish, which comprises 58.9% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (20.8%) and Eastern European (3.1%). Additional ancestries include Nigerian, Scandinavian, Spanish & Portuguese, Ghanaian, Liberian & Sierra Leonean, and Indigenous American.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 58.9% |
| French & German | 20.8% |
| Eastern European | 3.1% |
| Other | 17.1% |
Possible origins of the surname Loftin
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 Loftin have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 82.80% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 82.80% |
| Lancashire, United Kingdom | 82.80% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 82.80% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 82.80% |
What Loftin 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 Loftin is E-V13, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup E-V13 is descended from haplogroup E-M96. Other common haplogroups include R-M167 and I-L460, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Babcock, Gallant, Blevins, Triplett, Futrell, Grantham, Stepp, Epperson, Harbison, Etter.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Loftin surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins E-M96
Your paternal lineage may be linked to early Balkan migrants
Haplogroup E1b1b1a1b1a migrated in large numbers from the Balkans into Europe about 4,500 years ago, triggered by the beginning of the Balkan Bronze Age. During this migration, members of haplogroup E1b1b1a1b1a mainly followed rivers connecting the southern Balkans to northern-central Europe. Technological leaps often cause lineages to grow dramatically in numbers and in geographic range. The development of Bronze technology may have given men in haplogroup E1b1b1a1b1a a competitive advantage over other men, causing haplogroup E1b1b1a1b1a to proliferate and become widespread.
Your maternal lineage may be linked to the nomadic Tuareg of the Sahara
Though haplogroup H1 rarely reaches high frequencies beyond western Europe, over 60% of eastern Tuareg in Libya belong to haplogroup H1. The Tuareg call themselves the Imazghan, meaning “free people.” They are an isolated, semi-nomadic people who inhabit the West-Central Sahara and are known today for a distinctive dark blue turban worn by the men, and for their long history as gatekeepers of the desert.How did women carrying H1 make it all the way from western Europe to this isolated community? They likely migrated from Spain across the Strait of Gibraltar into Morocco after the Last Ice Age, where they were assimilated into the Berbers of the Mediterranean coast. Then, about 5,000 years ago, the Sahara shifted from a period of relative habitable conditions to its dramatically arid desert environment. This shift may have caused migrations throughout the Sahara, prompting the ancient Tuaregs to meet and mingle with the Berbers, bringing H1 lineages into their population.
What do people with the surname Loftin 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.
"Loftin" Surname 57.1%
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.
"Loftin" Surname 24.4%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Loftin" Surname 10.9%
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.
"Loftin" Surname 12.4%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Loftin?
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 Loftin are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition