Explore the Family Name Lynch
The meaning of Lynch
1. Irish: shortened Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Loingsigh ‘descendant of Loingseach’, a personal name meaning ‘mariner’ (from long ‘ship’). This is now a common surname in Ireland but of different local origins, for example chieftain families in counties Antrim and Tipperary, while in Ulster and Connacht there were families called Ó Loingseacháin who later shortened their name to Ó Loingsigh and also Anglicized it as Lynch. 2. Irish (Anglo-Norman): from de Línse, a Gaelicized form of the Norman French name de Lench, deriving from one of the manors named Lench in Worcestershire. The placename derives from Old English hlenc ‘hill-side’. 3. English: topographic name for someone who lived on a slope or hillside, Old English hlinc. History: This name was brought independently from Ireland to North America by many bearers. Jonack Lynch emigrated from Ireland to SC shortly after the first settlement of that colony in 1670. His grandson Thomas Lynch, born in 1727 in Berkeley County, SC, was a member of both Continental Congresses, and his great-grandson, also called Thomas Lynch, born 1749 in Winyaw, SC, was a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Some characteristic forenames: Irish Brendan, Liam, Kieran, Dermot, Donovan, Brigid, Caitlin, Siobhan, Aileen, Colm, Conley, Conor.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Lynch in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Lynch has seen a slight fluctuation in popularity over the last two decades. In 2000, the name ranked as the 237th most common surname in the United States with approximately 114,448 individuals bearing this name, which equates to 42.43 per 100,000 people. By 2010, though the count of people named Lynch increased by 2.85% to 117,708, it dropped in ranking to the 259th spot and its proportion per 100,000 people decreased by 5.96% to 39.9.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #237 | #259 | -9.28% |
| Count | 114,448 | 117,708 | 2.85% |
| Proportion per 100k | 42.43 | 39.9 | -5.96% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Lynch
The ethnic identity associated with the surname Lynch also underwent some shifts between 2000 and 2010 according to the Decennial U.S. Census. Those identifying as White made up the largest portion, although their representation fell slightly from 84.22% in 2000 to 82.30% in 2010. The next highest group was Black, rising marginally from 11.23% to 11.74%. There were notable increases among those identifying as Hispanic (from 1.68% to 2.52%), Asian/Pacific Islander (from 0.43% to 0.59%) and Two or more races (from 1.46% to 1.78%). The count of American Indian and Alaskan Natives also increased, going from 0.98% to 1.07% over the decade.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 84.22% | 82.3% | -2.28% |
| Black | 11.23% | 11.74% | 4.54% |
| Hispanic | 1.68% | 2.52% | 50% |
| Two or More Races | 1.46% | 1.78% | 21.92% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.98% | 1.07% | 9.18% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.43% | 0.59% | 37.21% |
Lynch 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 Lynch 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 (17.4%) and Eastern European (5.1%). Additional ancestries include Italian, Scandinavian, Spanish & Portuguese, Nigerian, and Ashkenazi Jewish.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 58.9% |
| French & German | 17.4% |
| Eastern European | 5.1% |
| Other | 18.5% |
Possible origins of the surname Lynch
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 Lynch have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 85.60% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 85.30% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 85.30% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 85.00% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 84.80% |
What Lynch 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 Lynch 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-L21 and R-P311, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Conner, Morgan, Jones, Phillips, Evans, Lewis, Hughes, Mcdonald, Morris, Davies.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Lynch 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 Lynch 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.
"Lynch" Surname 42.9%
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.
"Lynch" Surname 26.0%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Lynch" Surname 21.2%
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.
"Lynch" Surname 16.3%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Lynch?
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 Lynch are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition