Explore the Family Name Margolis
The meaning of Margolis
Jewish (from Belarus, Lithuania, and northeastern Poland): from the female personal name Margolis, meaning ‘pearls’ in Hebrew. The Hebrew word is ultimately of Greek origin, as in Greek margaron, margaritēs ‘pearl’. History: This is one of the old Ashkenazic surnames. In Eastern Europe, it was used by rabbinical families well before the mass adoption of surnames by local Jews at the turn of the 19th century. Some characteristic forenames: Jewish Hyman, Isadore, Moises, Meyer, Avi, Avrohom, Chaim, Itzhak, Izak, Khanna, Maier.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Margolis in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Margolis experienced a slight decrease in popularity between 2000 and 2010. The rank of the name dropped from 7212 in 2000 to 7912 in 2010. This represents a change of -9.71%. Furthermore, the total count of people with the Margolis surname decreased by 2.11%, from 4271 individuals in 2000 to 4181 in 2010. The proportion per 100,000 individuals also saw a fall of 10.13% during this period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #7,212 | #7,912 | -9.71% |
| Count | 4,271 | 4,181 | -2.11% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.58 | 1.42 | -10.13% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Margolis
Regarding ethnicity, data from the Decennial U.S. Census reveals that the Margolis surname has been predominantly associated with individuals who identify as White. In 2000, 96.44% of the Margolis population identified as White, and while this figure decreased slightly to 95.58% in 2010, it remains the overwhelming majority. There was, however, a significant increase in individuals who identify with two or more races or as Hispanic. From 2000 to 2010, the percentage of individuals identifying with two or more races increased from 0.66% to 0.91% (a 37.88% change), while those identifying as Hispanic rose from 1.94% to 2.58% (a 32.99% change). Meanwhile, the percentages of individuals identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander, Black, or American Indian and Alaskan Native remained relatively stable or decreased to zero.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 96.44% | 95.58% | -0.89% |
| Hispanic | 1.94% | 2.58% | 32.99% |
| Two or More Races | 0.66% | 0.91% | 37.88% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.56% | 0.62% | 10.71% |
| Black | 0.28% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.12% | 0% | 0% |
Margolis 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 Margolis is Ashkenazi Jewish, which comprises 62.8% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (13.0%) and French & German (7.6%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, Scandinavian, and Korean.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Ashkenazi Jewish | 62.8% |
| British & Irish | 13.0% |
| French & German | 7.6% |
| Other | 16.7% |
Possible origins of the surname Margolis
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 Margolis have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 35.30% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 35.30% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 35.30% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 34.60% |
| West Yorkshire, United Kingdom | 33.30% |
What Margolis 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 Margolis is R-P311, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-P311 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-M417 and E-L791, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Gottlieb, Berkowitz, Wasserman, Stern, Goldstein, Silverman, Fishman, Goldberg, Brody, Weiss.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Margolis surname are: K1a1b1a, 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 Margolis 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.
"Margolis" Surname 62.3%
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.
"Margolis" Surname 14.0%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Margolis" Surname 14.7%
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.
"Margolis" Surname 16.1%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Margolis?
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 Margolis are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition